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THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 
AS DETECTIVES 


By EDWIN J. HOUSTON 


THE 

BOY ELECTRICIAN 

or 

The Secret Society of the 
Jolly Philosophers 

“ The author has succeeded admirably in 
blending entertainment with instruction and 
the book is bound to awaken a scientific in- 
terest in the young reader.” 

—Philadelphia Press 


Illustrated by Frank McKernan 

i2ino. Cloth, $1.50 


J. B. LIPPINCOTT CO. 

PUBLISHERS PHILADELPHIA 





THE MAN OPENED THE BOOK THEREBY DISCHARGING THE BATTERY THROUGH 

HIS BODY 


Page 160 




THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 
AS DETECTIVES 


BY 

EDWIN J. HOUSTON, Ph.D. 

(PRINCETON) 

AUTHOR OF “THE BOY ELECTRICIAN” 


WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY 

FRANK McKERNAN 



PHILADELPHIA & LONDON 

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 


1912 



COPYRIGHT, 1912 , BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 


PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 1912 


PRINTED BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 
AT THE WASHINGTON SQUARE PRESS 
PHILADELPHIA, U.S.A. 



SCI.A327176 

■K<> f 


PREFACE 

Owing to requests from numerous readers 
for a further account of the doings of Tom 
and his chums, Rick and Ralph, the author 
has consented to prepare a sequel to “ The 
Boy Electrician . ’ 9 The result is the present 
volume. 

Although a sequel to the first volume, in 
as far as the same characters figure therein, 
in each, yet the “ Boy Electricians as De- 
tectives 9 9 is an independent narrative, it is not 
necessary in order to enjoy it, to have read 
“The Boy Electrician . 9 9 

Wireless telegraphy, which is attracting the 
practical attention of so many brainy boys, 
plays a prominent part in the plot of this 
story. Beginning with an interesting account 
of the induction coil, there follow brief, 
easily-understood descriptions of the under- 
lying principles of dynamo-electric machines 
and electric motors ; of the relation between 
lightning flashes and wireless telegraphy; 
and of the general principles of this practical 
and recent form of telegraphy. 

The main portion of the book, however, 
relates the clever manner in which the three 


5 


PREFACE 


boys, Tom, Rick, and Ralph, aid the Phila- 
delphia police in running down a number of 
criminals, and how they were able actually 
to employ their knowledge of wireless teleg- 
raphy at a very critical time. 

The author trusts that this volume will 
not only afford its readers considerable en- 
joyment, but that it will also enable them to 
understand the subject of wireless telegraphy. 

E. J. H. 


July, 1912. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

I. In Tom’s Laboratory 11 

II. Reddy and the Crooks Declare War 26 

III. Turned Down 37 

IV. A Visit to the Alternating Current Sta- 

tions 48 

V. The Rival Society of the Holy Terrors . . 63 

VI. Sherlock Holmes and His Assistants, 

Doctors Watson No. 1 and No. 2 75 

VII. Jamie and Charlie, Chummies 86 

VIII. Lieutenant Harkenson Sends for Tom and 

His Chums 97 

IX. Reddy Gets to Work 112 

X. The Mysterious Package 124 

XI. A Search for a Red-Headed Rascal 137 

XII. Light-Fingered Sam Visits Tom and His 

Chums 149 

XIII. Some Curiosities of Lightning-Flashes .... 163 

XIV. The Electric Disrobement of Rick 175 

XV. Tom’s Wireless Telegraphic Station 186 

XVI. The Burglary of the Country House 200 

XVII. Guglielmo 212 

XVIII. The Burglary at Tom’s Laboratory 223 

XIX. Another Wireless Telegraphic Station.. 234 

XX. Reddy Sees His Photograph 247 

XXI. The Rescue of Rick 259 

XXII. The Lost Chummies 271 

XXIII. In the Cemetery at Midnight 284 

XXIV. Guglielmo and the Holy Terrors 299 

XXV. Lieutenant Harkenson Makes a Round-up. 

Conclusion 307 



ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 


The Man Opened the Book, Thereby Discharging 

the Battery Through His Body. . . .Frontispiece ^ 

“Sergeant, I Want You to Hear What These 

Boys Have to Say” 105 v 

“Yes, Parsons; I Was Knocked Down by a Light- 
ning Bolt” 183 , 

“Rick, Mr. Gordon Wants to Speak With You” . . 187 . 

He Let the Light from the Lantern Fall Full on 
it, and in So Doing He Fell into the Trap 
Tom had Laid for Him 241 

Rick Hurled it with the Skill that Practice in 
Baseball Had Given Him 269 


CHARACTERS 


Thomas Alva Bronson, or Tom, Fond of Electricity and 
Wide Awake. 


Richard Y. Justice, Jr., or Rick, Tom’s Special Chum, also 
Fond of Electricity, and Wider Awake. 

Ralph Coffin, a New England Boy ) 

Alexander Jamieson, a Scotch Boy > Other Chums of Tom. 
Abraham Levy, a Jewish Boy ) 

Mrs. Mary Bronson, Tom’s Mother. 

Richard Y. Justice, Sr., Rick’s Father. 

Jamie Bronson, Tom’s Five-year-old Brother ) r , 

Charlie Coffin, Ralph’s Five-year-old Brother / ° ummies. 


Chas. S. Alexander 
John T. Dodge 
Gideon Gordon 


} 


Electrical Engineers, Friends of Tom 
and his Chums. 


Lieutenant Harkenson, a Lieutenant of the Philadelphia 
Police Force. 


Sergeant Addison, Harkenson’s Chief Aide. 

Jim, Jam, and Job, Colonial District Messenger Boys, Found- 
ers of the “Society of the Holy Terrors.” 

Reddy, a Noted Crook, Wanted by the Police in Several 
Cities. 


Skinny Joe l 

Light-Fingered Sam >- Crooks, Coiners, and House-Breakers. 
Big-Eared Ben J 

Guglielmo, A Colonial District Messenger Boy on Good 
Terms With Tom. 

Parsons, Mr. Justice’s Chauffeur. 

Sam Lung, a Chinese Laundryman. 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 
AS DETECTIVES 

I 

IN TOM’S LABORATORY 

“Who made it, Tom?” 

“Rick and I.” 

“What does it do?” 

“Take hold of these handles, and I’ll show 
you.” 

“None of your tricks, now, Tom. Promise 
you won’t hurt me?” 

“No more than you can stand.” 

“Why should you be afraid of the thing, 
Ralph?” said another speaker. “It’s not so 
big. ’ ’ 

“It may not look big, Rick,” was the reply, 
“but Tom is such a great fellow for playing 
tricks, that one need be on the lookout, es- 
pecially here in his laboratory. But,” he 
added, “I can trust you not to hurt me too 
much, can’t I, Tom?” 

“I won’t hurt you more than you can 
stand, Ralph,” repeated Tom, with a wink 
at Rick. 


11 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


The three speakers were the boys with 
whom we became acquainted in “The Boy 
Electrician, ’ ’ although they are a little older. 
Thomas Alva Bronson — familiarly known as 
Tom — is the same jolly fellow with light 
curly hair and blue eyes. Although he is now 
about sixteen years of age, and about an inch 
taller than when we first met him, Tom is 
still wearing knee-breeches; for, being an 
active fellow, he preferred this dress, since, 
as he said, the knee-breeches not only gave 
him greater freedom of motion, but did not 
get baggy at the knees. 

“It’s time enough to wear long pants when 
I get bigger,” he added. 

Rick is Richard Y. Justice, Jr., a trifle 
younger than Tom, and of a much slighter 
build, but well developed. Although inferior 
to Tom in physical strength, yet intellect- 
ually he is Tom’s superior. He is an un- 
usually wide-awake, merry lad, full of fun 
and tricks, and greatly attached to Tom. He 
and Tom were special chums. Living near 
each other, and both being fond of scientific 
pursuits, the two boys spent nearly all their 
spare time together, either in" Tom’s lab- 
oratory, in Fairmount Park, or on one of its 
Athletic Fields. Rick was especially inter- 
ested in chemistry, and most of his work in 
12 


AS DETECTIVES 


the laboratory was expended in this direction. 
He also wore short trousers, which, however, 
were not knee-breeches, but bloomers. 

The boy addressed as Ralph, is Ralph 
Coffin, a very bright and clever New Eng- 
land lad. He is somewhat older than Tom, 
and much older in his ways. 

Tom and Rick had a number of other 
chums. Those who were most frequently 
with them were Sandy Jamieson, or, to 
give him his full name, Alexander Jamieson, 
a Scotch lad, who had a marked Scotch 
brogue, although he had been some time in 
America; and Abraham Levy, or Abe, a 
Jewish youth, with a peculiar defect in 
his speech that caused him to pronounce 
m’s as b’s and n’s as d’s. These and 
other boys were members of an organi- 
zation called i 1 The Secret Society of the J oily 
Philosophers. ’ ’ 

The foregoing conversation took place in 
Tom’s laboratory, a good-sized, square room 
that occupied the entire upper floor of a 
small two-story house standing in the rear 
of the house occupied by Tom’s family, which 
consisted (of Mrs. Bronson, Tom, and his 
little brother Jamie, now five years old. 

The laboratory was splendidly lighted, 
13 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


having a large window in the middle of each 
of its three walls, while the fourth, that facing 
the back street, was provided with a good- 
sized glazed sash-door. A carpenter’s bench 
was 1 near one of the windows, and a lathe, 
suitable for either wood or metal work, near 
the opposite window. Electrical and chem- 
ical apparatus made by Tom, Rick, or both, 
occupied shelves between the windows. 

Tom’s father had been a carpenter and 
builder. Before his death, that had occurred 
when Tom was much younger, he had left in- 
structions that so long as Tom lived with 
his mother, he should be permitted to use 
this room as his workshop, together with all 
his tools, and a miscellaneous collection of 
pieces of wood, wrought iron, steel and brass 
rods, glass, and other odds and ends. 

The first floor had been rented to relatives 
for the storage of furniture, but it was un- 
necessary to use the stairway within the 
building to reach the second floor, as there 
was an outer one connecting this floor with 
the yard. 

But let us return to what the three boys 
were doing with the new piece of electrical 
apparatus Tom and Rick had made. 

14 


AS DETECTIVES 


At Tom’s request, Ralph took hold of a 
pair of metallic handles connected by long 
wires to one of its ends. 

‘‘This thing you and Rick have made, 
looks like that what fakers use at fairs and 
sh;ows,” remarked Ralph. “I think it is 
called a ‘ shocking machine. ’ 9 9 

“That’s what they call it,” said Rick, 
laughimg, “but scientific fellows like Tom 
and me call it an induction coil.” 

Seeing that Ralph watched Tom anxiously 
as he began to connect the other side of the 
machine with wires leading from a small 
voltaic battery, Rick began to tease him, 
saying: 

“Don’t look so scared, Ralph; Tom won’t 
kill you, will you, Tom?” 

“Certainly not,” said Tom, entering into 
the spirit of the joke. “Shall I begin with 
a weak or a strong current, Ralph?” 

“Weak, of course,” was the reply. 

“Sure; begin with a dear little baby cur- 
rent,” exclaimed Rick. 

“All right,” said Tom, and with that he 
pulled a bundle of soft iron wires nearly 
out of a coil of wire and turned the current 
on from the battery. A humming sound was 
15 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


heard. “How does that feel, Ralph ?” he 
inquired. 

“I can stand that for an hour or more, ,, 
was the reply. “I feel only an agreeable 
tingling. Make it stronger.’ ’ 

“Yes,” said Rick, giving his chum a wink; 
“make it stronger, Tom.” 

“All at once or gradually, Ralph?” 

“Gradually,” replied Ralph. 

As Tom slowly pushed the bundle of soft 
iron wires into the coil, the tingling sensa- 
tion increased, and Ralph’s arms began to 
shake. When the iron core was in as far as it 
would go, Tom inquired: 

“Is that strong enough, Ralph?” 

“Strong enough! It’s almost shaking me 
to pieces. Stop it, Tom, or I’ll have to pull 
the machine off the bench to protect myself. ’ ’ 

As soon as the current had been turned 
off, Ralph said: 

“You certainly are a great fellow, Tom. 
One never can tell what you are up to.” 

“Why don’t you use your eyes, Ralph?” 
inquired Rick, “so as to see what you are 
doing, and thus keep Tom from playing 
tricks.” 

“That’s just it,” was the reply. “What’s 
the good in a fellow’s using his eyes in a 
16 


AS DETECTIVES 


place like Tom’s laboratory, where almost 
anything might happen? Take this thing you 
call an induction coil. It looks as innocent 
as you did when you were a little boy. How 
it was possible to make the current from 
that voltaic battery so strong, I don’t know, 
but as soon as you started that hummer 
there, and pushed in that bundle of wires, 
a current came out that almost yanked my 
arms out of their sockets. Can you tell me 
how the thing works, Tom, or is it too difficult 
for a fellow like me, who isn’t up on such 
things, to understand?” 

“I’ll do what I can to explain it to you, 
Ealph. I don’t believe it’s too difficult for 
a brainy fellow like you to understand.” 

“No taffy, Tom,” said Ealph. “Go on 
with the explanation.” 

4 4 Oh, very well ! ’ ’ said Tom, laughing. 4 4 1 ’ll 
first show you how the thing is made, by 
taking it to pieces. ’ ’ 

Disconnecting all the wires leading to the 
apparatus, Tom first pulled out a hollow coil 
consisting of a few turns of coarse insulated 
wire, and then drew out from it a bundle of 
soft iron wires. 

4 4 It is through this coil, Ealph,” said Tom, 
4 4 that the battery current is passed.” 

2 17 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


He then showed Ralph the remaining coil, 
consisting of many turns of fine wire, wrapped 
around a hollow cylinder of hard rubber or 
vulcanite, saying: 

“The electricity that shook you so hard 
was produced in this coil. ,, 

“Show me where the fine wire touches 
the coarse wire, so as to let the current from 
the battery flow into it,” said Ralph. 

“The two coils don’t touch at all, Ralph,” 
said Tom. “On the contrary, they are sep- 
arated by this cylinder of hard rubber, or 
vulcanite, which is a good insulator.” 

‘ ‘ Then how can the current flowing through 
the short, coarse coil produce electricity in 
the long, fine coil?” 

“While electricity cannot flow through 
hard rubber,” replied Tom, “magnetism can. 
A magnet can hold on to iron filings or tacks 
on the opposite side of a glass plate or a 
wooden board.” 

“I know that, Tom; but where does the 
magnetism come in?” 

“Ask Oersted, Ralph,” said Rick, laughing. 

“Thank you for the suggestion, Rick,” said 
Ralph. “I understand now. Oersted was 
the fellow who discovered that whenever an 
electric current flows through a conductor 
18 


AS DETECTIVES 


it produces magnetism around it. What does 
the humming thing do?” 

“It suddenly opens and closes the battery 
circuit many times every minute, ’ ’ said Tom. 
i ‘Each time the circuit is closed, the current 
from the battery flows through the coarse 
wire coil, increasing rapidly in strength from 
nothing to the full strength of the battery. 
On the opening of the circuit, it rapidly de- 
creases to nothing. 

“The magnetism produced when the cur- 
rent flows through the coil,” continued Tom, 
“surrounds it in circular lines. The distance 
this magnetism extends beyond the coil in- 
creases as the strength of the current in- 
creases, so that when what you call the 
hummer permits the current to begin to flow 
through the coarse wire coil the magnetism 
produced around it moves outwards, passing 
through the fine wire coil, and when the 
current is cut off its strength decreases, and 
its magnetism passes away from the fine wire 
coil. As this magnetism is poured into or out 
of the coils of the loops of the fine wire coil, 
it produces electricity in them, which flows 
through it in one direction while the magnet- 
ism is pouring into its loops, and in the 
opposite direction while it is pouring out 
19 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


of them. The currents produced in these 
coils, unlike that produced by the voltaic 
battery, alternately flow in opposite direc- 
tions, or are alternating currents.” 

“ Thank you, Tom,” said Ralph. “I think 
I understand it pretty well now. Tell me 
the name of the brainy fellow who made the 
great discovery that electricity can be pro- 
duced from magnetism.” 

“He certainly was a brainy fellow, 
Ralph,” said Tom. “He was Michael Fara- 
day, the great English experimental philoso- 
pher. And you may well call it a great dis- 
covery. It was, perhaps, the greatest ever 
made except, perhaps, Oersted’s. 

“Faraday,” continued Tom, “felt sure 
there was some connection between elec- 
tricity and magnetism, whereby it would be 
possible to produce electricity from magnet- 
ism, as Oersted had produced magnetism 
from electricity. It required very hard work 
on Faraday’s part before he made the dis- 
covery. At last, however, he found it was 
only while the strength of an electric current 
is either increasing or decreasing that it 
possesses the power of producing elec- 
tricity.” 

“Since nearly all the electricity that is 
20 


AS DETECTIVES 


used to-day is obtained from dynamo-elec- 
tric machines that are operated on the 
principle of Faraday’s discovery, you can 
understand, Ralph,” said Rick, “what a 
great discovery this was. In these machines 
coils of wire wound on an armature of soft 
iron are so rotated between the poles of 
strong electro-magnets as to have the mag- 
netism pour into and out of them, and thus 
produce alternating electric currents.” 

“And besides dynamo-electric machines,” 
added Tom, “electric motors depend for 
their operation on the pouring of magnetism 
into or out of the loops of conducting coils.” 

“I can understand, then,” said Ralph, “how 
very important Faraday’s discovery was. 
Can you show me the discharge from the 
fine wire coils that shook me so severely when 
you sent it through my body? No,” he 
added, thinking that Tom was' about to sug- 
gest that he could easily permit Ralph to 
feel the discharge again; “I don’t want to 
feel it, I want to see it.” 

“Very well,” said Tom, laughing. Con- 
necting the ends of the fine wire coils with 
two small metallic discs that were about half 
an inch apart, he set the coil working, when 
a thin, thread-like, faintly luminous series 
21 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


of spark discharges was seen passing be- 
tween the plates. 

‘ ‘ That is what you received,” explained 
Tom. “I might have made it much stronger. 
Look at it now,” he continued, connecting 
a Ley den- jar battery with the discs and de- 
creasing the distance between them, when an 
intensely bright and fairly thick discharge 
passed with a roar between the plates. “I 
might have sent that through you, ’ ’ he added. 

“It’s lucky for me you didn’t,” replied 
Ralph. 

The boys now began discussing how an 
induction coil operates. It was during a 
pause in this conversation that Rick said to 
Tom: 

“Don’t forget to ask Ralph to go with us 
to visit the great alternating- current stations 
on the Schuylkill River and elsewhere. You 
remember Mr. Dodge said we might bring 
a friend with us. By the way, Tom,” he 
added, “it was just one year ago to-morrow 
that we visited the direct-current station at 
the invitation of Mr. Alexander. You went 
with us, Ralph, on our second visit there, 
when we took our bars of steel to be mag- 
netized.” 

“I remember that visit, for I enjoyed it a 
22 


AS DETECTIVES 


great deal,” said Ralph. “ I should like very 
much to go with you again/ ’ 

Footsteps were heard coming up the outer 
staircase. Rick, who was standing near a 
window, said to Tom, “It’s Abe and Sandy;” 
and then in a lower tone: “Let’s have some 
fun with them and the induction coil. ’ ’ 

“Sure,” said Tom. “We’ll first show 
them how it works and then explain it.” 

“What is it, Tob?” inquired Abe, as the 
boys entered and began examining the in- 
duction coil. “It’s 1 dot very big to look at, 
Tob. Who bade it?” 

“Rick and I,” was the reply. “It’s called 
an induction coil.” 

“It may hae mair in it than ye think, Abe,” 
warned Sandy. “Do ye nae ken what a 
great fellow Tom is.” 

“Show us how it works, Tob,” said Abe. 

“All right. Wet your hands with water.” 

Tom told Abe to grasp Sandy’s right hand 
with his left hand, and had then each boy 
take hold of one of the handles with his free 
hand. In this way, the current could pass 
through their bodies, one after the other. 
He then turned on the current with the 
bundle of soft iron wires nearly drawn out 
23 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


of the coil. Feeling only a tingling, the two 
lads began to chaff Tom on the weakness 
of the apparatus. 

“I dod’t thidk buch of that, Tob!” cried 
Abe. < ‘ Is that the best it cad do ? ” 

“It’s nae guid, Tom,” said Sandy. “Dinna 
ye ken that it takes mair than that to shake 
a Scotchman?” 

Tom smiled as he turned on the full 
strength of the current. The two boys were 
severely shaken, and tried in vain to free 
their hands, but they forcibly gripped both 
one another and the handles. Each was dis- 
posed to lay the blame on the other. 

“Let go my hand, Abe,” cried Sandy. 
“Tom hae gaed me enow.” 

“I cad’t let go by hadt,” said Abe. “It 
holds od by itself.” 

Tom continued the current for a few mo- 
ments longer, saying : 

“I thought it took so much to shake a 
Scotchman, Sandy!” 

Sandy grinned and acknowledged his mis- 
take. 

Again footsteps were heard ascending the 
outer staircase. 

“See who are coming, Rick,” said Tom. 

24 


AS DETECTIVES 


“ Three Colonial District Messenger 
boys,” said Rick, as be looked out of the 
window. “I have seen tough characters be- 
fore, Tom, but the faces of this crowd beat 
the band.” 

But we will leave the new-comers ascend- 
ing the outer steps while we briefly describe 
a meeting in another part of the city, of 
three men who subsequently had a bearing 
on the visitors who were coming up the 
stairs. 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


n 

REDDY AND THE CROOKS DECLARE 
WAR 

A few days before the occurrence of the 
incidents related in the preceding chapter, 
three other persons might have been seen 
engaged in conversation in another second- 
story room in a part of the city about a mile 
from Tom’s laboratory. Instead of being 
boys with attractive faces, however, they 
were men whose countenances bore the 
stamp of crime and dissipation. 

There was a marked difference, too, in 
the character of the room in which the men 
had assembled. It was a small back room, 
reached only by a narrow entry, but instead 
of being flooded with light, it had only one 
small window, overlooking a back street. 
The panes of glass were so begrimed with 
dirt as to be almost opaque. Moreover, one of 
them had been broken, and instead of being 
replaced by new glass, it had been closed by 
stuffing old rags in the opening. 

But the lack of light was evidently not 
objectionable to the three men, for instead 
26 


AS DETECTIVES 


of being drawn near the window, tbe table 
around which they were sitting had been 
placed as far from it as possible, as if to 
secure a position in which they could not 
be seen from the back street. 

Like the window, the room was very dirty ; 
and there was but little furniture — only the 
table and a few chairs with wooden seats. 
A whiskey bottle and glasses were upon the 
table, and from them the men refreshed them- 
selves during pauses in the conversation. 

There was a small fireplace in the room, 
but the opening had been closed by a sheet- 
iron screen, covered, like everything else, 
with rust and dirt. A small stove was con- 
nected by a stove-pipe to an opening in a 
chimney, near the ceiling, but since it was 
a hot day in June, no fire had been kindled. 

If it is true that one’s thoughts and feel- 
ings, when remaining practically the same 
for many years, leave their impression on 
the face, then beyond doubt, the men seated 
at the table, were steeped in vice and crime ; 
for their faces were the faces of those who 
had permitted their desires and habits to 
completely govern them. 

They were talking in low tones, as if they 
27 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


feared they might be overheard. They were 
evidently expecting some one. 

“ Skinny,” said one of the men, “yer paPs 
late. D’ye think he’ll show up!” 

“I reckon he’ll be here afore long, Ben,” 
was the reply. “ I shouldn’t wonder ef he’s 
afeerd to show up too freely in the streets. 
But he said he’d come, and ef ye knew 
Reddy ez well ez I do, ye’d gamble he’ll be 
here. ’ ’ Then, turning to the others, he said : 
4 4 The feller I’m waitin’ fer is the top-sawyer 
of all the pals I’ve ever known. When a 
fellow like Red comes all the way from 
’Frisco and Chicago, to see some of his old 
pals in Philly, he ain’t goin’ to let all the 
peerlice in the city keep him away.” 

The man known as “Skinny Joe” was well 
named. So little flesh covered his bones that 
he looked like a skeleton. Indeed, at one 
time he had made a living by exhibiting him- 
self as a living skeleton in a dime museum. 

But it would have been dangerous to 
judge Joe’s strength solely by the amount 
of flesh on his bones, for it is not so much 
the amount of muscle one has, as the char- 
acter of the fibres, that determines the 
amount of strength possessed. In point of 
28 


AS DETECTIVES 


fact, Skinny Joe was much stronger 
than either of the others, which was 
saying not a little, for Ben — or 1 1 Big- 
Eared Ben” — possessed strength far in ad- 
vance of the average men. He had received 
his nick-name from his remarkably large 
ears, which stood out boldly from his head, 
the hair of which was so closely-cropped 
that from a distance one might have thought 
he was bald. Had he so wished, Ben might 
have raised a luxuriant crop of hair; but 
by frequent use of the barber’s clippers, he 
almost entirely prevented its appearance. 

Some of Ben’s acquaintances insisted that 
his fondness for a closely-cropped head came 
by reason of several prolonged visits to what 
they called the “jug,” the inmates of which 
are not permitted to wear long hair. But 
the true reason for his short-cropped head 
was that Ben was wanted by the police 
authorities for a number of crimes; and as 
he had formerly worn his hair so long and 
bushy as entirely to conceal his ears, the 
effect of bringing these features into prom- 
inence by an almost hairless head had so 
changed his appearance as to constitute an 
effective disguise. 


29 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


Ben owned the house in which the men 
had assembled. On the ground floor, were 
a pawnbroker’s shop and a liquor store, care- 
fully shut off from each other, at least so 
far as appearances went. Ben did a good 
business in both places, but his principal 
occupation was in keeping a ‘ ‘fence, ’ ’ or place 
where stolen goods are purchased. 

4 ‘ Hez Reddy been in the city long, Ben 1 ’ ’ 
inquired one of the three men. 

“No,” was the reply; “he’s cornin’ 
straight through from Chicago.” 

The speaker, known as “Light-Fingered 
Sam,” was the least repulsive-looking of the 
three men, and by far the best dressed. He 
had received his name from his skill in any 
kind of thievery that required the deft use 
of the fingers. 

He seldom descended to pocket-picking, 
employing his manual dexterity for such 
occasions as the theft of jewelry, obtaining 
wax impressions of keys, and for other simi- 
lar work. One might readily have mistaken 
Sam for a respectable man, since his face 
had less of the criminal appearance than 
the faces of his companions. 

While the men were talking, a low whistle 
was heard from a speaking-tube connected 


AS DETECTIVES 


with the ground floor. Going to the tube, 
Ben answered, almost immediately turning 
to the others and saying with no little 
complacency : 

“I telled ye so. Reddy hez cum. I'll ax 
him to step up. Get another glass, Sam. 
Reddy kin stand up under more liquor than 
a ’most any man I ever seed.” 

While Sam was doing this, the man for 
whom they had been waiting entered the 
room. 

“Glad to see ye, old pal,” said Ben. 
“What made ye so late? Were the beaks 
a-follerin’ ye?” 

“I’m not certain,” was the reply, “but 
as I wasn’t taking any risks, I didn’t come 
here directly.” 

“Help yerself to the booze,” said Ben, 
pointing to the table. 

“Thanks, Ben,” was the reply; “I will 
take some. Here’s to you, gents,” he added, 
filling the glass with a generous amount and 
emptying it of the raw liquor at a single 
gulp. He then refilled it so as to have it 
on hand for the next drink. 

There could be no doubt as to how 
“Reddy” got his name, for his head was 

31 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


adorned with a mop of bright red hair, which 
hung downwards in long, matted locks from 
the sides of a bare spot that reached from 
his forehead nearly to the back of his head. 
He had small, bleary eyes, with all the fishy 
appearances of a confirmed drunkard. His 
face was so strongly stamped with the marks 
of crime and dissipation that the other men, 
bad as they were, appeared almost pleasant 
by contrast. Reddy ’s face seemed to have 
been marked by Satan as claiming its pos- 
sessor as his very own. 

Reddy had been well educated, and should 
have been able to live comfortably without 
breaking the laws, but hard drinking and 
sensuality, with other sins, had so debased 
him that he was not much above the level 
of a mere animal. 

When sober, which was mainly when he 
could get nothing to drink, Reddy possessed 
good judgment, and was held in such high 
esteem among crooks that he often acted as 
their confidential adviser. 

When he had finished his first glass of 
whiskey, Reddy said : 

“ Introduce me to your pals, Ben.” 

‘ ‘Cert, Red,” replied Ben. “This is 
Skinny Joe. He’s good for anything wot 

32 


AS DETECTIVES 


needs courage and strength. Ef ye need a 
pal, don’t be skeered acause he looks so thin, 
sence he kin throw any man in this room.” 

“Glad to know you, Skinny,” said Red. 

“This,” continued Ben, turning to Light- 
Fingered Sam, “is ” 

But before he could finish, Sam said : 

“Red and I know each other, don’t we, 
Red?” 

“Know you, Sam?” repeated Reddy, with 
an oath. “I should say I did, and I’m 
mighty glad to meet you again.” 

“Sit down, Red,” said Ben, “and tell me 
what brings you here.” 

“I’ve come to meet some of my old pals.” 

“Call out their names, and we’ll tell you 
where ye kin chin wid them.” 

To the astonishment of his auditors, Reddy 
named those who had been arrested by Lieu- 
tenant Harkenson, mainly by means of the 
aid given him by Tom and Rick.* 

The three men looked at one another in 
surprise. 

“Where hev ye been all this time, Red?” 
inquired Ben. “Ef ye want ter see them 
fellers, ye’ll hev to visit the jug.” 

“That’s bad news, Ben. I hadn’t heard. 

* See “ The Boy Electrician.” 

33 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


The last few years I have been living in 
’Frisco, keeping close, for the police are 
after me. I only stayed in Chicago for an 
hour or two.” 

“Thet accounts fer it,” remarked Ben. 

“For how long have these fellers been 
jugged, Ben?” inquired Reddy. 

“Some are lifers, some are in for five or 
ten years, and one for two. They hev been 
in about one year now, so one of ’em will 
be out about this time next year.” 

“What were they jugged for?” inquired 
Reddy. 

“For swipin’ a kid, and for shovin’ the 
queer,” was the reply. 

“For kidnapping and counterfeiting,” said 
Reddy, more to himself than to his com- 
panions. 

“That’s what,” agreed Ben. 

“Tell me about it,” said Reddy. “How 
did it happen? Have you sharp beaks here 
in Philadelphia?” 

“Ez sharp ez they make ’em,” was the 
reply. 

“How were they caught?” inquired Reddy. 

“The blokes had connected their telegraph 
wire with a wire wot two fourteen-year-old 
kids had stretched over the housetops atween 

34 


AS DETECTIVES 


their houses. When the boys discovered 
their wire had been tapped, they were 
bright enough to git wise to the messages 
sent over it.” 

Reddy was very angry when he heard how 
the boys had so cleverly trapped his pals, 
and asked whether anything had been 
done to punish them. When he learned that 
no efforts had been made to do this, he said : 

“We must punish these kids. They’ve got 
to learn not to meddle with other people’s 
affairs.” 

Reddy was plainly disappointed at not 
being able to secure the help of some of the 
imprisoned men, so Ben asked: 

“Hev ye any partic’lar work ye want men 
fer in this city, Red?” 

“I have several good plants in which I 
need first-class help.” 

“Glad to talk the matter over with ye, 
Red,” said Light-Fingered Sam. 

“So be I,” added Skinny Joe. 

“If ye need any more, I kin bring two 
other good men,” offered Ben. 

‘ ‘ Thanks, gents, ’ ’ responded Reddy. “ I ’ll 
talk the matter over with you later. Ben,” 
he said, “can I stay here fer a few days 

35 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


until the beaks are thrown off my scent, if 
they are already on it?” 

4 ‘ Sure! Glad to take care of ye, Red. I 
kin stow ye away in a safe place and keep 
ye posted ez to what be goin’ on.” 

What Reddy did and the trouble he 
brought on Tom and his friends, will be 
described in subsequent chapters. 


AS DETECTIVES 


III 

TURNED DOWN 

But let us now return to Tom’s laboratory 
as tbe three Colonial District Messenger 
boys were entering. 

When they reached Tom, one of them, 
evidently their leader, said: 

4 4 Be you the boss!” 

“If you mean, is this my room, yes,” re- 
plied Tom. “What can I do for you?” 

Without directly answering Tom’s ques- 
tion, the boy went on: 

“My name’s Jim. What’s yours?” 

“Thomas Alva Bronson.” 

“A pretty long name, mister,” replied 
Jim. “Ain’t ye got another name for 
short?” 

“I’m sometimes called Tom by my friends,” 
replied Tom. 4 ‘ But you haven ’t answered my 
question. What can I do for you?” 

“I have come with these two gents to tell you 
somethin’, and then to ask ye a question. But 
first let me interduce my pals. This one,” 
he said, turning to one of the boys, “is called 
Jam, and the other fellow, is Job. We heard 
37 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


you fellers had started a gang called the 
‘Jolly Philosophers’.* Is this right?” 

“It is,” replied Tom. “But what about 
it?” 

“We fellers want ter join thet gang. I 
suppose there’ll be no trouble if we can 
plank down the coin as it comes due. I 
reckon that’s every week or every month, 
and we kin do it if it ain’t too steep. Ef 
ye should want ter make yer gang bigger, 
we kin bring ten other fellers like us.” 

“A liberal and enticing offer, Tom,” said 
Rick. 

“Astonishingly so,” added Ralph, winking 
at Tom. 

Both Rick and Ralph were standing so 
that the visitors could not see their faces, 
and they spoke so that no information as 
to their seriousness could be obtained from 
the tone of their voices. 

“Why do you want to join our society?” 
inquired Tom. “We don’t call it a gang. 
It is known as the ‘Ancient and Honorable 
Society of the Jolly Philosophers.’ ” 

“I called it a gang for short,” said Jim 
apologetically. 

“You haven’t answered my question,” 

* See “The Boy Electrician; or. The Secret Society of 
the Jolly Philosophers." 


38 


AS DETECTIVES 


said Tom. “Why do you want to join our 
society ?” 

“’Cause we heerd what jolly times you 
fellers hev. We’ve talked over this thing, 
and hev agreed to jine ye if we find yer meet- 
ing-room snug and comfortable so ez to be 
a good place fer us fellers to meet in fer 
a lark, to have a quiet smoke, and hide 
if the beaks be arter us.” 

“And how do you like the looks of the 
room, now that you’ve seen it?” inquired 
Rick, with a wink to Tom. 

“The room’s all right,” replied Jim; then 
addressing Tom, he remarked: 

“This would be a fust-class place to hide 
in from the beaks; for ef they come arter 
us up the stairs, we could make our lucky 
down the other stairs, sence I suppose thet 
door leads to them” — pointing to the door 
leading to the inner stairway. “Then there 
are conveniences here fer smokin’.” 

“Very kind of you, to mention it I’m 
sure,” said Ralph. 

“I reckon, mister,” said Jim, “thet every 
member of yer gang hez a key given him, 
so he kin come here and bunk fer the night 
and bring a friend or two with him when 
he don’t want ter go home.” 

“Tom,” said Rick, with a grave face, “I 

39 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


don’t believe I ever before fully appreciated 
the many advantages this room possesses.” 

Of the three boys who were entering Tom’s 
laboratory, one was Irish, one, a Russian 
Jew, and the other, an Italian. 

The type of the three would-be members, 
and the ideas they had as to the objects of 
the society, made Tom’s companions feel sure 
that he would reject their application at 
once. They were, therefore, greatly sur- 
prised when Tom said to the visitors : 

“If you want to join our society, you must 
make a regular application, and then appear 
before the membership committee, who will 
decide whether your application can be 
brought before our society.” 

“All right, mister,” said Jim. “We want ter 
do this thing regular, so let’s hev the paper, 
and show us where to put our names.” 

“Rick,” said Tom, “please make out three 
application blanks for membership into our 
society, and show the applicants where to 
sign.” 

Although greatly astonished, Rick did this 
without any remarks. On pointing out the 
place to sign, he said: 

“Of course you boys can read and write?” 

“In course we kin,” said Jim. “No feller 

40 


AS DETECTIVES 


kin be a district messenger onless he kin do 
both. ’ ’ 

4 ‘ Come again to-morrow as near twelve 
o’clock as you can manage,” said Tom, when 
this was done. 

There was a roar of laughter from our 
boys after the applicants had left. 

“I suppose you have some trick up your 
sleeve, Tom,” said Rick. 4 4 Of course you 
don’t intend to let such a gang as that enter 
our society.” 

4 4 Ye dinna believe, Rick,” said Sandy, 
44 thet Tom would let such ne’er-do-weels 
join?” 

4 4 What fuddy dabes,” said Abe, who was 
reading the signatures. 44 Jib, Jab, and Job;” 
and again a laugh went around the room. 

4 4 You need have no fear, Rick,” said 
Ralph , 4 4 that Tom has any idea of doing such 
a thing.” 

44 I am surprised, boys, that you should 
think for a moment that I have any idea of 
letting those three J’s come into our so- 
ciety,” said Tom. 4 4 They are plainly not 
the kind of boys we would want to associate 
with. ’ ’ 

4 4 Unless,” said Ralph, with a laugh, 4 4 they 
can play baseball.” 


41 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“You have me there, Ralph,” said Tom. 
“I don’t deny that when a chap wishes to 
join a baseball nine only one question is 
asked. ‘Can he play ball ? ’ Neither social 
standing nor education is questioned. 
But,” continued Tom, “what could these 
boys do if we did admit them? They are not 
up in science, and the time would hang 
heavily upon their hands.” 

“Oh, I don’t know,” said Ralph. “They 
could loaf, smoke, and bunk. From this 
standpoint, they have every inducement to 
join.” 

The next morning, as Tom was passing 
Sam Lung’s laundry, the Chinaman came to 
the door and said: 

“Morning, Tom. Can Sam talkee a little 
with you?” 

“Certainly,” was the reply. “What do 
you want to say?” 

“Thlee boys stop yesterday” — naming 
the time the Colonial District Messenger 
boys had left the laboratory — “in flont of 
Sam’s window. Window shut, so boys think 
no one here, and begin to talkee.” 

“Did you hear what they said?” 

“Sam heard nearly all. Those messenger 
boys velly bad boys, Tom.” 

42 


AS DETECTIVES 

“What did they say?” inquired Tom. 

“They say your place velly good place for 
smokin’, loafin’, and hiddin’ from police- 
men.” 

“Did they say anything else, Sam?” in- 
quired Tom. 

“Yes,” was the reply. “Sam likee Tom 
velly much, so Sam says to Tom, ‘Lo’kee 
out’ — they velly bad boys. They said some- 
thing to one another in velly small voice, but 
Sam listened and heard some of it.” 

“What did you hear, Sam?” 

i ‘ They say your place has things in it they 
can steal and take to pawnshop, and that 
much in loom below can be taken.” 

After thanking Sam for the information, 
Tom returned to his laboratory, where his 
friends soon joined him. 

At the appointed time the next day the 
three applicants for admission arrived. As 
was customary, only one was admitted at a 
time, Sandy and Abe having been appointed 
a committee to look after the others while 
awaiting their turn. 

Jim, who was first brought into the room, 
found Tom seated before a table, with Rick 
on his right hand and Ralph on his left. 

“You were asked yesterday to sign your 
name to the application blank,” said Tom. 

43 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“I did that, boss,” explained the boy. “ I 
wrote 4 Jim.’ ” 

4 ‘But that,” said Tom, “is only part of 
your name. Tell me the rest of it.” 

“I have a longer one,” said Jim. “It’s 
James McGonigal O’Reilly. Me friends call 
me Jim for short.” 

“Write your full name and address on 
this,” said Tom, handing him the paper. 

When this was done, Tom inquired: 

“What is your occupation, Mr. James 
McGonigal 0 ’Reilly?” 

“I’m a Colonial District Messenger boy,” 
was the reply. 

“Tell me again why you wish to join the 
Society of the Jolly Philosophers.” 

“So I can have a place to loaf and smoke 
in, and, when I wish, a place to bunk in, 
either by meself or with a friend.” 

“That will do for the present,” said Tom. 
“Step outside and wait. You will be called 
into the room again in a short time.” 

“What is your full name?” inquired Tom 
•of Jam, who was next brought into the room. 
“I noticed you signed the application blank 
‘Jam.’ ” 

“It is not because I hev no other name. 


44 


AS DETECTIVES 


My full name it is Stephano witch Jamkowski. 
Ez this name is too long, they call me Jam 
at the office, but that don’t worry me. It’s 
ez good a name ez any other.” 

“Please write your full name and address 
on the application blank, Mr. Stephanowitch 
Jamkowski,” said Tom. When this was 
done, Tom said: 

“Tell me again why you wish to join our 
society. ’ 9 

“Because,” fNrplied Jam, “it be a good 
place to smoke, hide, and bunk in.” Then 
he hesitated, as if he had intended to add 
something, )but had changed his mind, so 
Tom inquired: 

“But that is not all. For what other 
reason did you wish to join?” 

“I think it might be a good place for some 
of my people to meet in now and then. ’ ’ 

“Who do you mean by your people?” in- 
quired Tom. “The anarchists?” 

“I hev heard them so-called,” was the 
reply. 

“That will do, Mr. Stephanowitch Jam- 
kowski,” said Tom. “Step outside. You will 
be called in again shortly.” 

The boy who had signed his name “Job” 
then came in. At Tom’s inquiry, he said that 

45 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


his full name was Alessandro J obliconi. Like 
the other boys, Tom requested him to write 
his name in full. 

On being questioned as to his reasons for 
wishing to join the Society of the Jolly Phil- 
osophers, Job acknowledged that in addition 
to wishing to find a place where he could 
loaf, smoke, and sleep, he had heard that one 
of the society knew how to cover a coin or 
other articles with silver or gold to make it 
look like a real metal. He was careful not 
to tell why he wished to learn this, but from 
what he said Tom came to the conclusion 
that some of his people were counterfeiters. 

“Of course, boys,” said Tom, when he, 
Rick, and Ralph had assembled as the mem- 
bership committee, “it won’t take long to 
determine whether these fellows are to join 
or not.” 

‘ L I should think not , 9 9 said Rick. ‘ 1 Besides 
wishing to use our meeting place for loafing, 
smoking, and sleeping, it looks as if they were 
on the way to become thieves and counter- 
feiters, if they are not such already. More- 
over, they appear to be closely connected 
with the anarchists.” 

Tom called the three messenger boys into 
the room and informed them that their appli- 

46 


AS DETECTIVES 


cations were unanimously rejected; that they 
had nothing in common with them, and that 
they did not wish to become further ac- 
quainted. 

The three messenger boys were very angry, 
and when Jim reached the bottom of the 
staircase, he shook his fist at Tom, saying: 

“I don’t want ter join yer old society,” 
and then, apparently not appreciating the 
inconsistency of the two statements, he 
added: ‘ 4 I’ll get even with ye fer keepin’ us 
out of yer gang.” 

Jam also said: 

“I’ll get even with ye for this; see if I 
don’t.” 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


IY 

A VISIT TO THE ALTERNATING CUR- 
RENT STATIONS 

“Tell me, Tom,” inquired Rick, who with 
Ralph had remained after Sandy and Abe 
had left the laboratory, “why didn’t you 
turn those fellows down at once? You cer- 
tainly did not have to inquire into their 
character. ’ ’ 

“Of course I could see that they were not fit 
to come into our society, ’ ’ replied Tom, ‘ ‘ but 
I wanted to find out more about them than 
I could tell from their faces. I think you 
will agree with me that I have succeeded, 
won’t you?” 

“You certainly have,” replied Rick; “but 
what does it amount to? You can hardly 
expect to make any use of what you’ve 
learned. Don’t you agree with me, Ralph?” 

“I do,” was the reply. “Like Rick, I 
have been wondering why you acted as you 
did, Tom.” 

“These fellows are in the neighborhood 
a great deal,” said Tom. “I was sure that 
when we turned them down they would be 

48 


AS DETECTIVES 


angry and would probably try to get even 
with us. ’ ’ 

“But wbat of that, Tom?” inquired Rick. 
“Suppose they tried to get even. What use 
do you expect to make out of the information 
you have obtained?” 

“I shouldn’t be surprised,” replied Tom, 
“if what we have learned may some day 
prove of value. These boys are not only 
tough, they are bad. Indeed, the extent of 
their wickedness has surprised me. From 
what Sam Lung told me, it seems they had 
already planned to rob the laboratory and 
the storage room below. Besides this, they 
seem to know something about counterfeit- 
ing, and I think, from what Job said, that 
they have friends among the anarchists. 

“It occurred to me, therefore,” continued 
Tom, “that our old friend, Lieutenant Hark- 
en son, might some time like to have informa- 
tion concerning them, so I have done as you 
have seen.” 

“Now I see what you were getting at,” 
said Rick. ‘ ‘ I think you did the right thing. ’ ’ 

None of the boys spoke for awhile, as if 
they were thinking of what had occurred, 
when again footsteps were heard ascending 
the outer stairway. 


49 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“See who is coming, Ralph,’ ’ said Tom. 
“You are nearest the window.” 

“Another Colonial District Messenger 
boy, ’ 9 Ralph answered. 

“I wonder what line of law-breaking he’s 
up to,” speculated Rick. 

“Judging from his face,” said Ralph, “I 
should say he was straight. ’ ’ 

“Let him in,” said Tom, “and we’ll hear 
what he has to say.” 

The messenger boy approached Tom and 
said: 

“May I speak to you, Signor Tomasso?” 
Rick and Ralph laughed when they heard 
their friend addressed as “Signor Tomasso.” 

The three chums were greatly pleased with 
the appearance of the lad. He was evidently 
an Italian, and, like many of the people of 
that race, he had jet black hair and eyes. 
He also had the pleasant, musical voice so 
common among the Italians. 

“Certainly,” Tom replied. “What can I 
do for you?” 

“My name is Alessandro Guglielmo An- 
toni. I am an Italian. ’ ’ 

“So I guessed, Alessandro,” replied Tom. 

“Call me Guglielmo, please.” 

“I see you are a messenger boy, Guglielmo. 
WTiat do you want?” 


50 


AS DETECTIVES 


“ I came, Signor Tomasso, to say that I 
know the three boys, Jim, Jam, and Job, who 
were here, and to tell yon they are bad 
fellows. At the same time, Signor Tomasso, 
I hope you will not let them know I have 
been here. They told me they were going 
to join your society, and I thought I should 
tell you what I know about them.” 

“ Thank you,” said Tom. “Is there any- 
thing else? Do you also want to join our 
society?” 

“Guglielmo would like very much to join 
it, Signor Tomasso, but he would not dare 
ask. Still,” he added naively, “I would 
dearly like to be permitted to come here now 
and then when you and the other signors 
are not too busy.” 

“Why do you want to come, Guglielmo?” 

“Because, signor, I am told you know 
about electricity. I am learning to become 
a telegraph operator. There are many things 
I wish to know, and I thought that perhaps 
if you would let me come now and then, you 
might find time to answer some of my ques- 
tions.” 

“What are some of these questions, Gug- 
lielmo?” 

“About that wonderful kind of telegraphy 
by which messages can be sent without wires. 

51 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


It is what they call wireless telegraphy that 
my great countryman, Signor Marconi, has 
discovered. It is so wonderful to talk with- 
out wires over the great ocean that I want 
to know about it. I have asked about it at 
the office, but they say I’m too young to 
understand. But I am not so young, I am 
almost fifteen years old. Am I too young to 
understand it, Signor Tomasso, and may I 
come here when you are not too busy and 
ask some questions ?” he inquired anxiously. 

“You are certainly not too young, Gug- 
lielmo,” replied Tom. “How long have you 
been with the telegraph company ?” 

“Two years. I have gone to the public 
schools, and have learned to speak good 
English.” 

This was indeed true, for the lad spoke 
as if he had been in the country the greater 
part of his life. 

“How much do you make a week?” 

“Sometimes five dollars; sometimes as 
much as seven dollars.” 

“What do you do with the money?” 

The Italian boy’s face lightened up with 
a pleasing smile as he said: 

“Guglielmo sends all the money he can 
save to his mother in Italy. She puts it 

52 


AS DETECTIVES 


away, and one of these days she will come 
to America with my little brother Enrico. 
I will be very happy when she comes. I 
will soon have enough money. Mother and 
Enrico may perhaps come some time this 
year. ’ 9 

“Wait a moment, Guglielmo,” said Tom, 
“while I talk with my friends.” 

“What do you say, boys?” questioned 
Tom, as he went with them to another part 
of the room. “Do you think there would 
be any objection to letting the little fellow 
come here occasionally?” 

“Glad to have him, Tom,” said Ralph, 
laughing. “What do you think, Rick?” 

“I like him. Isn’t he a handsome chap! 
No, I see no objection to his coming. But 
what do you say, Tom? This is your lab- 
oratory. ’ ’ 

“I agree with both of you,” was the 
reply. “We will let Guglielmo come. I’ll 
tell him.” Then, joining the Italian, he said : 

“You can come here occasionally, Gug- 
lielmo. If we are too busy to have you stay, 
we’ll let you know.” 

“I am much obliged to Signor Tomasso 
and the other signors,” said Guglielmo, 
touching his hat and leaving the room. 

53 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


At the time appointed to go to the alter- 
nating-current stations, the three boys 
met Mr. Dodge. He had told them 
that since his company had a number 
of such stations in different parts of 
the city, it would be possible for them 
to visit only two or three of them in one 
day. Rick had, therefore, obtained permis- 
sion from his father to use one of their auto- 
mobiles, driven by a careful chauffeur, named 
Parsons, and they had arranged to call for 
Mr. Dodge at his office. 

“ Where shall we go first, sir?” inquired 
Rick, when Mr. Dodge was seated with them 
in the automobile. r 

“To our alternating-current station at 
Christian Street and the Schuylkill River,” 
was the reply. i ‘ I think we shall also be able 
to visit one or two of our sub-stations, but 
of course that will depend on the time we 
spend at our principal one.” 

Before entering the station, Mr. Dodge 
cautioned the boys against touching any 
wires or machines. 

“The voltage or pressure of the currents 
here is not high when compared with other 
alternating stations, yet it is six thousand 
volts, a pressure sufficient to kill you so 


AS DETECTIVES 


quickly that you would tnever know what 
struck you.” 

“It’s almost as dangerous as a lightning 
flash, isn’t it, Mr. Dodge!” inquired Tom. 

“Yes, Tom,” was the reply. “It is quite 
as dangerous. I remember that experiment 
you tried in Fairmount Park, in drawing a 
lightning flash from the sky. Indeed, I am 
not sure but that a high-pressure alternating 
current is even more to be feared. But there 
is no danger if you’ll do as I tell you.” 

They now entered the lower boiler-room 
on the ground floor. 

“This is our principal station for produc- 
ing alternating currents,” Mr. Dodge con- 
tinued. 1 1 Coal and water, our raw materials, 
are brought to us by way of the Schuylkill 
River. They are employed in generating 
steam under thes& two rows of boilers on 
opposite sides of the room,” pointing to two 
lines of boilers situated on opposite sides 
of the room, with plenty of space between 
for the men in charge. 

The boys noticed that no men were shovel- 
ling coal under the boilers, as was the case in 
the direct-current station they had visited 
at Ninth and Sansom Streets. 

“Are there no men for throwing the coal 
under the boilers?” inquired Ralph. 

55 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“No,” said Mr. Dodge. “We have here 
what is known as mechanical stokers’ ’ — point- 
ing to power-driven devices placed in front of 
the furnaces. ‘ ‘ The coal is crushed and car- 
ried by conveyers to the top of the building, 
when it falls through pipes into the mechani- 
cal stokers, from which it is thrown by blades 
connected with a rotating shaft. In this way 
it is spread over the fire in a much better 
manner than even a skilled man could do. 
Since we burn over three hundred tons every 
day at this station, you can understand what 
a saving in wages is effected.” 

They now climbed a stairway attached to 
one of the walls, and entered the room above, 
where there was a second row of boilers. 

Climbing still another staircase to near 
the top of a room above, they looked down 
from a gallery on a number of huge steam- 
engines that were driving dynamos. 

“This is our generating room,” said Mr. 
Dodge. “The steam produced in the boilers 
below is used for driving four compound 
condensing engines of fifteen hundred horse- 
power each. We are now putting in an addi- 
tional engine and dynamo.” 

They were indeed big engines at which 
the boys were looking — larger than any they 

56 


AS DETECTIVES 


had ever seen before, although by no means 
as large as some of the engines at other big 
power-stations. 

“Tom,” said Mr. Dodge, “I believe you 
understand how dynamos operate. Suppose 
you tell me briefly, so I can see how much 
you know about it?” 

“I think I understand the operation, Mr. 
Dodge,” said Tom. “As the armatures of 
the dynamos are rotated between the field 
magnets, the coils of wire wound on them 
are alternately filled and emptied with the 
magnetic flux produced by the field magnets. 
This generates currents that flow in one 
direction as the coils are being filled with 
flux, and in the opposite direction as the flux 
is passing out of them.” 

“Your description is generally correct, 
Tom,” said Mr. Dodge. “There are, however, 
other ways in which alternating currents are 
produced. There is something in this 
room that I think will interest you,” he 
added. “See if you can find it.” 

“For what is it used, Mr. Dodge?” in- 
quired Rick. 

“To obtain power for driving dynamos; 
that is, for taking the place of the steam- 
engines;.” 


57 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


Rick and Tom pointed almost at the same 
time to something that was much smaller 
than the compound steam-engines. 

‘ ‘ It must be those little things , 9 9 said Rick. 

4 4 That’s what I was thinking, Rick,” said 
Tom. “But if we are right, they are only 
little baby machines. Are we right, Mr. 
Dodge V 9 he inquired. 

“You are correct, my lads, as. to their being 
what I was talking about.” 

“What do you call them?” inquired Tom. 

“Steam turbines. You were wrong in be- 
lieving they are not powerful; for, small as 
they are, they are capable of exciting a 
greater amount of power than any of the big 
steam-engines.” 

“Do you produce only alternating currents 
in this station, Mr. Dodge?” 

“That is practically all. We produce al- 
ternating currents at a pressure of about 
six thousand volts, that are carried by means 
of insulated cables through conduits under- 
neath the streets to different stations where 
the pressure is either decreased or where the 
currents are changed into direct currents.” 

After explaining to them a switchboard 
by means of which those in charge could tell 

58 


AS DETECTIVES 


the pressure on different parts of the line, 
and showing them a chart on which were 
marked the positions of the conduits through 
the city streets, they again got into the 
automobile. 

“We will now go to our sub-station at 
Eleventh and Arch Streets,’ ’ said Mr. Dodge. 

“The company selected this location,’ ’ said 
Mr. Dodge, as they got out of the automobile, 
“because it is alongside the elevated tracks 
of the Reading Railroad, where we are not 
likely to be troubled with law-suits from 
people for any noises we may make.” 

It was indeed a noisy place, with shifting 
engines moving to and fro, and regular trains 
running into and out of the station. 

As they entered the building, they could 
see an immense motor revolving at high 
speed and making a considerable noise. 

“Our raw material here,” said Mr. Dodge, 
“is some of the six thousand volt pressure 
alternating-currents generated at our Chris- 
tian Street station. These are employed to 
drive this synchronous motor, which drives 
direct-current generators. 

“When looking at a dynamo or any other 
well-balanced machine in rapid motion, be 

59 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


careful you don’t put your hands on it to 
see if it is moving. A well constructed and 
driven machine runs so smoothly that it 
seems almost to be at rest. Serious accidents 
have occurred from people thoughtlessly 
touching such machines. I am glad to say, 
however,” Mr. Dodge added, 4 1 that no such 
accidents have ever happened here. These 
direct-current machines” — pointing to those 
driven by the motor — ‘ ‘produce currents at 
pressures varying from only two hundred 
and fifty to three hundred volts, that are em- 
ployed either for lighting — mainly for in- 
candescent lighting — or for driving small 
motors. 

‘ i There is something here that I think will 
especially interest you,” he said, taking them 
into a room in the basement in which a large 
storage battery had been installed. “This,” 
explained Mr. Dodge, “is what is called a 
floating storage battery. It is employed to 
maintain the constancy of the current pro- 
duced by the constant-current generators.” 

He then explained to them that the float- 
ing battery was a form of storage battery 
that was employed in order to keep the total 
pressure constant by what are called end 
cells, that were automatically cut out of and 
co 


AS DETECTIVES 


introduced into the circuit, as the varying 
conditions required. 

"We have now,” said Mr. Dodge, "only 
time to visit one other sub-station, the one at 
Marshall and Noble Streets. I am sure it 
will especially interest you, since it is one 
in which practically everything is done auto- 
matically. Here, as in the preceding sta- 
tion, our raw material is the six thousand 
volts pressure generated at the Christian 
Street station. By means of air-blast trans- 
formers, the pressure is stepped down from 
six thousand to two thousand three hundred 
volts.” 

What Mr. Dodge said concerning the ap- 
paratus taking care of itself was manifest 
from the fact that when they entered the 
station, which they did by means of a master 
key he carried on his key-ring, no one was 
found in the main room. A well-cared for 
cat, however, was lying contentedly on the 
tile pavement, that, like the rest of the room, 
and, indeed, the entire building, was scrupu- 
lously clean. 

"Besides attending to break-downs that 
occasionally occur, the men in charge here 
61 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


have nothing to do but to keep the place 
clean,” said Mr. Dodge. “Of course it is 
necessary in a station of this kind, to have 
some one constantly at hand. Come this 
way,” he added, “and let me show you how 
we take care of the men here. We own this 
house” — entering a nicely furnished three- 
story house, connected directly with the sta- 
tion — “and keep it for the care-taker. As 
you see, it has a dining-room, reception-room, 
parlor, bed-rooms, bath-room, and so on.” 

“Is the rent high?” inquired Rick, laugh- 
ing. 

“The house is thrown in with the place,” 
said Mr. Dodge. “But you have not seen 
all,” he continued. “Come up on the roof.” 

Here they found a well arranged roof- 
garden, with deep wooden boxes filled with 
soil placed around the edges of the roof, and 
in the middle a hammock shaded by a canopy. 

“There are automatic alarm-bells in the 
different rooms of the house, as well as up 
here on the roof, to call the keeper should 
anything go wrong.” 

Mr. Dodge explained to the hoys the differ- 
ent automatic apparatus, such as the feeder 
regulators, but we will not attempt any 
further description here. 


AS DETECTIVES 


V 

THE EIVAL SOCIETY OF THE HOLY 
TERRORS 

When Jim, Jam, and Job descended the outer 
steps of Tom’s laboratory, after the rejec- 
tion of their applications for membership in 
the Society of the Jolly Philosophers, they 
were very angry. As already stated, Jim 
and Jam turned and shouted defiance to 
Tom, who was standing with the other boys, 
at the head of the stairway. 

1 ‘ Oh, come off ! ’ ’ cried Job. ‘ 4 Ye hev given 
them fellers enough bluff. Let’s go some 
place where we kin talk the matter over. I 
want to git even with them as much as ye 
do, but I believe in doing, and not in just 
talking.” 

“We hev no time to talk the matter over 
now,” said Jim. “Ef we don’t get back to 
the office, they’ll dock us. But we kin talk 
while going back.” 

“If ye think ye kin make it hot for them 
fellers, Jim,” said Jam, “I’ll jine ye.” 

“Sure I kin,” was the reply; “but, ez ye 
know, we kain’t talk free in the office. Some 

63 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


of the other fellers will get onto it. The fust 
thing to do is to see whar we kin go to talk. 
Suppose you meet me to-night in the woods 
by the music stand at Strawberry Mansion, 
in Fairmount Park. Then ye kin tell me 
ef ye know of any place whar we kin meet 
thet will do instead of the place them fellers 
hey.” 

“Suppose ye begin, Jam,” said Jim, as 
they met that night in the Park. 

“I know a cave that would make a good 
place fer snaoking, loafing, and bunking,” 
said Jam. 

“That seems to sound all right,” replied 
Jim. “Where is it?” 

“Not more’n ten minutes from here,” was 
the reply, “in a part of the Park next the 
stone wall of a cemetery.” 

“Have you thought of any place, Job?” 
inquired Jim. 

“Jam’s place would do all right fer hot 
weather,” was the reply, “but when winter 
comes it would be too cold. I know a big 
empty building about fifteen minutes from 
our office.” 

“That place would be better for winter,” 
remarked Jim. “Hev ye ever been in the 
building?” 


64 


AS DETECTIVES 


c 1 Often , 9 9 was the reply. 

“Don’t they hev a watchman?” 

“I never seen one, and I understand there 
ain’t any,” replied Job. 

They took the first opportunity of examin- 
ing both places, and decided to use the cave 
in warm weather, and the unoccupied factory 
building during the rest of the year. 

The first meeting of the three boys was 
in the cave. Since its entrance faced the 
Park driveway along the river, it would not 
be safe to build a fire, as the guards might 
see it and chase them away. This, however, 
was no privation, since the air was warm. 

Jim had brought a dark lantern. Probably 
the idea of this type of lantern being often 
used by burglars gave them more pleasure 
than did its actual use. A portion of the 
cave extended under the rock, so the little 
light of the lantern was not visible from the 
driveway. 

The boys were lying on pine boughs which 
they had obtained from trees that had been 
struck by lightning, and had spread over 
the bottom of the cave. 

They had formed a society, and elected Jim 
President. They did not call him President, 

65 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


however, but Captain. Jam had been elected 
Lieutenant. So far, the membership reached 
only three. Each had paid in a sum of fifty 
cents for expenses. 

“I’ll be Treasurer!” cried Job. 

“Not much,” said Jim. “We kain’t trust 
ye. I’ll take care of the dough.” 

Job did not like this, but said nothing. 
What he thought was entirely another matter. 

“What are we fellers fer?” inquired Jam. 

“It is not so much what we’re fer,” re- 
plied Jim; “it’s what we’re agin. We’re 
agin anything them fellers of the Jolly Phil- 
osophers are fer, acause they wouldn’t let 
us jine their gang.” 

They had considerable difficulty in choos- 
ing a name for their society. As is likely 
to be the case with uneducated people, they 
thought at first only of names that sounded 
big but meant little. 

“Whatever name we take,” said Job, “I 
reckon we’ll be a lot of holy terrors to the 
people wot live in this here part of the city. ’ ’ 

“Bully, Job!” cried Jim. “That’s just 
the name. Let’s call our gang the ‘Holy 
Terrors’;” and this was carried by an unani- 
mous vote. 


66 


AS DETECTIVES 


“ We’ll make them fellers in the carpenter 
shop wish they had taken ns into their gang, ’ 9 
said Jim; and then followed a discussion as 
to how this might best be done. 

“Do you think they will play any tricks 
on us, Tom?” inquired Ralph, when Tom and 
his companions entered the laboratory and 
shut the door when they saw the boys dis- 
appear down the street. 

“If they don't,” replied Tom, “it will 
not be for want of trying.” 

“If they do,” said Ralph, “they will be 
mean tricks.” 

“And,” added Rick, “often dangerous 
ones.” 

Tom, Rick, and Ralph had just returned 
from the alternating-current station, having 
sent the automobile back to the garage. 

“What did you think of it, Ralph?” in- 
quired Tom. 

“To what part do you refer, Tom?” re- 
turned Ralph. 

“To all the parts,” he answered. 

“It was great,” was the reply. “I think 
the most wonderful part was the station on 
the Schuylkill River, at Christian Street. I 
67 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


say, Tom, did you understand what Mr. 
Dodge meant when he said that in this place 
the raw materials they employed were coal 
and water, and that in the second station 
their raw material was alternating currents 
at a pressure of six thousand volts ?” 

“Of course,’ ’ said Ralph; “I understand 
what he meant. But he spoke as if elec- 
tricity were some kind of stuff or matter 
that they manufactured when they turned the 
armatures of the generators so that the mag- 
netism produced by the field magnets passed 
through their coils. Of course he didn’t mean 
this, for I know that electricity is not a kind 
of matter.” 

“It isn’t, eh!” said Tom, laughing. “Then 
pray tell us what it is. ’ ’ 

“I’d rather be excused,” replied Ralph. 
“But of this I’m certain: electricity is not 
a kind of matter — is it?” 

“I’m not so sure,” replied Tom. “While 
it is generally acknowledged that the real 
cause of electricity is unknown, many able 
men are beginning to believe that it may be 
a kind of matter.” 

“What? Ordinary matter!” inquired 
Ralph, in surprise. 

“Not exactly ordinary matter,” said Tom, 
68 


AS DETECTIVES 


“but matter that is produced when the chemi- 
cal atoms are broken into fragments.’ ’ 

When Ralph asked Tom to explain, he 
replied : 

“Ask me some other time, Ralph. I’m 
sure you’ll agree,” he continued, “that 
whatever electricity is, it requires work to 
be done on the machine by which it is gen- 
erated. Even when two bodies are rubbed 
together and thereby electrified, work must 
be done. In order to keep the armatures of 
the alternators moving, work must be 
done, so that in this sense the coal and 
water in the alternating station are the raw 
materials that liberate or set free the energy 
employed to produce electricity.” 

“Look at that!” exclaimed Tom, when, a 
few days afterwards, they reached the top 
of the outer stairs and stood before the door 
of the laboratory. 

“At what?” inquired Ralph, who was look- 
ing down into the street, supposing that Tom 
had seen something there. 

“At this,” said Rick, pointing to some- 
thing on the panel of the door, that was about 
on a level with their eyes. 

Ralph looked and saw the impression of 

69 


THE BOY ELECTRICIAN S 


a human hand that had been smeared with 
dirt and had left its outlines on the panel. 

“ That’s the answer, Ralph,” said Tom, “to 
the question you asked me the other day, if 
I thought the three boys, Jim, Jam and Job, 
would do what they threatened when 
they said they would get even with us, you 
know. ’ ’ 

“Do you really think they had anything 
to do with that?” inquired Ralph. 

“I do,” was the reply. 

“If you have any doubt, see this,” re- 
marked Rick, pointing to the letters “J. J. 
J.,” followed by “H. T.” 

“The ‘J. J. J.’ evidently stands for Jim, 
Jam, and Job,” said Ralph. “I can’t think 
what the ‘H. T.’ stands for.” 

Tom was greatly provoked at what had 
been done. 

“I don’t like to have the door of my lab- 
oratory daubed in this manner,” he said. 
“Rick, as chemist of our society, can’t you 
think of some way in which these fellows 
can be punished?” 

“There are plenty of ways of punishing 
them,” said Rick, “if we could get hold of 
them.” 

“You need not fear but that they’ll come 

70 


AS DETECTIVES 


again, especially if I carefully clean off this 
place and leave the panel ready for another 
marking.’ ’ 

‘ ‘ That ’s j oily, Tom, ’ ’ said Rick. ‘ ‘ I under- 
stand you. Let’s clean it off, and then I’ll 
mix their medicine for them.” 

“Go ahead, Rick. Ralph and I will do the 
cleaning,” said Tom. 

When Rick returned, the door was clean 
and dry. Indeed the cleaning had so fresh- 
ened the door that the panel looked cleaner 
than any other part. 

“There,” said Tom grimly; “I’m sure 
they’ll come back and put another hand mark 
on this very spot.” 

“And in that way they’ll get their medi- 
cine,” said Rick, and he commenced paint- 
ing the cleansed surface with a liquid he 
had prepared in the laboratory. 

“Of course,” said Rick, “you fellows must 
be careful not to touch it, and you must see 
that Jamie and the others who come here 
don’t either.” 

“Does the stuff burn at once, Rickl” 

“No ; that’s the joke. It won’t begin burn- 
ing until two or three minutes afterwards.” 

Tom’s belief that the smearing of the lab- 
71 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


oratory door would be repeated was correct. 
The next morning they found the marking 
of the muddy hand again in the middle of 
the door, with the letters “ J . J. J.” and 
“H. T.” 

“Whoever did that took care to make an 
impression exactly in the middle of the panel. 
You may be sure he will now be wishing he 
had left it alone.’ ’ 

“Let’s clean it up again, Rick,” said Tom, 
which they soon did. They agreed, however, 
not to put another coating of the “medicine” 
over it for the present. 

When his friends joined him in the lab- 
oratory the next morning, Tom said : 

“I can tell you what the letters ‘H. T.’ 
stand for.” 

“Tell us then, Tom,” cried Rick. 

“They stand for ‘Holy Terrors,’ ” replied 
Tom. 

“How did you find out, Tom?” inquired 
the boys. 

“The three messenger boys, Jim, Jam, and 
Job, have formed a society they call the Holy 
Terrors.” 

“How do you know?” 

“I met Guglielmo in the street as I was 

72 


AS DETECTIVES 


coming here,” replied Tom. “He told me 
he had heard Jim, Jam and Job telling about 
a society they had formed called the ‘ Society 
of the Holy Terrors. ’ He heard them laugh- 
ing about the way they had got even with 
us.” 

‘ ‘ Do you know which of these boys got the 
dose of medicine we left on the door-panel ! ’ 9 
inquired Rick. 

“ It was Jim, ’ ’ said Tom, laughing. ‘ ‘ Gug- 
lielmo told me that Jim came to the office 
with his right hand wrapped up. 

“ ‘What’s the matter, Jim?’ he inquired. 

“ ‘My hand burns awfully.’ 

“ ‘ Fire-crackers V asked Guglielmo. 

“‘None of your business!’ Jim cried. 
‘But I’ll get even with them fellers yet.’ 

“I then asked Guglielmo whether he had 
heard the other boys talking about how Jim ’s 
hand was burned, when he informed me that 
Job told him all about it.” 

The boys laughed heartily at the result 
of their experiment. 

“Can this stuff you put on the door-panel 
permanently injure Jim?” inquired Ralph of 
Rick. 

“No,” was the reply; “it may, however, 
take a week or so before his hand is 
73 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


thoroughly healed. I hope this will be time 
enough to let him realize how foolish he has 
been.” 

Almost immediately after the above con- 
versation, a crash was heard, and the glass 
in one of the windows was scattered over 
the floor, followed by a stone that had been 
thrown against it from the outside. 

“Let’s try to catch those fellows !” cried 
Tom, rushing towards the door, followed by 
Rick and Ralph. 

They were, however, too late. On their 
return, as they were passing Sam Lung’s 
shop, the Chinaman came to the door and 
said: 

“Stone thlown by velly bad teleglaph boys. 
Two other boys were leady to thlow, but 
Sam came out and they lan away.” 

“Did you notice, Sam, whether they were 
Colonial District Messenger boys?” 

i ‘ They were, ’ ’ was the answer. 

Thanking Sam for the information, they 
returned to the laboratory. 

“Evidently Jim, Jam, and Job are on the 
warpath,” said Tom. 

“It looks like it,” replied Rick. 


AS DETECTIVES 


YI 

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND HIS ASSIST- 
ANTS, DOCTORS WATSON NO. 1 
AND NO. 2. 

“You know enough now to put the law on 
these fellows, Tom,” said Ralph, on their 
return to the laboratory, after their unsuc- 
cessful pursuit of the fleeing scamps. “Will 
you do it?” 

“No, Ralph,” said Tom. “It will be more 
fun to run them down ourselves.” 

“Don’t forget, Ralph,” said Rick, “that 
Tom and I are great detectives. Don’t you 
remember how we ran down Pietro and 
Giuseppe when they kidnapped Jamie, Tom’s 
little brother?” 

“I remember, Rick,” said Ralph. “You 
and Tom are a regular Sherlock Holmes and 
his assistant, Dr. Watson.” 

“Bully, Ralph!” cried Tom. “Let’s form 
a new society to be called ‘The Boy De- 
tectives.’ ” 

“I’m with you, ’ ’ said Rick. “You are cer- 
tainly a great fellow, Tom, for getting up 
new things. How many officers will there he?” 

75 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


* 1 Only three/ ’ said Tom. 

“I understand, ’ ’ cried Ralph. “ A Presi- 
dent, a Secretary, and a Treasurer/ ’ 

“Not at all,” said Tom. “That’s too com- 
mon. At least, we won’t call the officers by 
these names.” 

“What will you call the President?” in- 
quired Ralph. 

“Sherlock Holmes, of course,” was the 
reply. 

“And the Secretary and the Treasurer?” 

“Dr. Watson No. 1 and Dr. Watson No. 2.” 

“Let’s elect officers now,” exclaimed 
Ralph. 

The result of the election was: Tom as 
Sherlock Holmes, or President of the society ; 
Rick as Dr. Watson No. 1, or Secretary; and 
Ralph as Dr. Watson No. 2, or Treasurer. 

As Rick began drawing up a rough draft 
of the objects of the society, he inquired : 

“What shall I put down as the objects of 
our society, Tom?” 

“The detection of crime and the punish- 
ment of criminals,” said Ralph. 

“Especially for the punishment of the 
Society of the Holy Terrors,” added Tom. 
“I suppose,” he continued, “you know who 
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson were?” 

76 


AS DETECTIVES 

“I do,” cried Rick. 

“I only know,” said Ralph, “that Holmes 
was a great detective, and that Dr. Watson 
was his friend and assistant. Tell me some- 
thing about them, Tom.” 

“These two men,” replied Tom, “were the 
principal characters in a number of detective 
stories written by A. Conan Doyle, that so in- 
terested the public, especially in England, 
that the Government recognized his ability by 
knighting him, so that he is now known as 
Sir A. Conan Doyle.” 

“That’s a pretty good reward,” said 
Ralph. 

“It was,” replied Tom, “but America gave 
Doyle a greater honor, at least I imagine he 
thought it a greater honor.” 

“Stop your jollying, Tom,” cried Rick. 
“We don’t give titles in America.” 

“We may not call them titles but I under- 
stand that Colliers Weekly has made Conan 
Doyle what might be called 4 A Knight of 
the Golden Dollars.’ ” 

“Still jollying, Tom,” said Rick; “there’s 
no such title in America. ’ ’ 

“I mean, Rick,” said Tom, laughing, “that 
the Colliers entered into a contract with 
Doyle by which they agreed to pay him a 
77 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


dollar a word for a number of stories he 
was to write exclusively for them and another 
periodical.” 

“Please go on with your story about 
Holmes, Tom.” 

“As the result of a few moments’ keen ob- 
servation, Holmes was able to tell folks so 
closely what they had just done or were in 
the habit of doing, that they came to regard 
him as a wizard. However, he afterwards 
explained that he did this by methods of 
deduction, so the mystery was solved.” 

“I don’t understand what you mean when 
you say Holmes employed methods of deduc- 
tion. Please explain. ’ ’ 

“All right,” said Tom. “Holmes 
was an extremely keen observer. When 
people called at his house in Baker Street, 
where he kept bachelor quarters with Dr. 
Watson, he was accustomed to note slight 
peculiarities that, although in sight of all, 
would pass unobserved by most. Do you 
understand, Ralph?” 

“I think so,” replied Ralph. “Can you 
give us an example of Holmes’ power of 
observation ? ’ ’ 

“I’ll tell you part of a story I read the 
other day, called ‘The Yellow Face.’ I 

78 


AS DETECTIVES 


haven 't the book here, but I will tell it to you 
as well as I can remember it. 

“This story,'' said Tom, “as indeed have 
all of Conan Doyle's stories, interested me 
very much. Since it was only the other day 
I read it, I think I can tell you the story 
pretty much as Dr. Watson tells it. 

‘ ‘ One day, when Holmes had returned with 
Watson to his house, after a walk of three 
hours in the Park, he was informed by his 
office boy that a gentleman had called and 
asked for him. 

“ ‘Has the gentleman gone?' inquired 
Holmes. 

“ ‘Yes, sir,' replied the boy. ‘I asked him 
in. He came in and waited for about half 
an hour, but was so restless that he called 
me and said: “I can't wait any longer in this 
room. I'll go to the open air. I'll be back 
soon, ' ' and with that he left. ' 

“On entering the room, Holmes at once 
observed a pipe left on the table. 

“ ‘This is not your pipe, Watson,' Holmes 
said. ‘ The man who called on me must have 
left it. As you see, it's a nice old briar pipe 
with a good long stem made of what is known 
as amber, though most of the so-called amber 
is fake. He must have been greatly worried 
to have left a pipe he valued so highly.’ 

79 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“ ‘How do you know he values it highly V 
inquired Watson. 

“ ‘In this way,’ said Holmes. ‘I don’t 
suppose that pipe, when new, cost more than 
seven and sixpence. But, as you see, it has 
twice been mended, once in the wooden stem, 
and once in the amber. Each of these mend- 
ings has been done with silver bands, and 
must have cost more than the pipe did origi- 
nally. The man must value the pipe highly 
if he prefers to have it patched up rather 
than buy a new one with the same money. ’ 

“ ‘Anything else?’ inquired Watson. 

“ ‘The remaining indications,’ replied 
Holmes, ‘are neither marked nor important; 
still, the owner is obviously a muscular man, 
left-handed, has an excellent set of teeth, is 
careless in his habits, and has no need to 
practise economy.’ 

“Holmes gave Watson, his friend, this 
information in an offhand way, but it could 
be seen that he was closely observing his 
face to see if he was following his reasoning. 

“ ‘Do you think a man must be well-to-do 
because he smokes a seven-shilling pipe?’ 

“ ‘This tobacco cost eight pence an ounce,’ 
replied Holmes, knocking out a little on top 
of his hand and examining it. ‘Since he 


AS DETECTIVES 


might get an excellent smoke for half the 
price, he evidently has no need to practise 
economy. ’ 

“ ‘How about the other points, Holmes?’ 
inquired Watson. 

“ ‘The man has been in the habit of light- 
ing this pipe at lamps or gas-jets; it is 
charred all down one side. A match could not 
have done that ; for why should a man hold a 
lighted match at the side of his pipe? You 
cannot light a pipe at a lamp without getting 
the bowl charred. ’ 

“ ‘And how about the man being left- 
handed?’ 

“ ‘All the burning is on the right side of 
the pipe. Hold your pipe in the lamp and you 
will soon see how, being a right-handed man, 
you will hold the left side to the flame. Then, 
he had bitten through the amber. It takes a 
muscular, energetic man, and one with a good 
set of teeth, to do that.’ ” 

The story interested both Ealph and Eick. 

“Holmes was certainly a clever fellow,” 
exclaimed Ealph. “So you’re going to he 
a Sherlock Holmes and play detective, are 
you, Tom? Do you think you will be able to 
adopt Holmes’ method so as closely to ob- 
serve things and make correct deductions 
from them?” 


81 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


4 ‘ I hope so, ’ ’ was the reply. “ I *11 certainly 
try to see all that is to be seen, and hope I ’ll 
be correct in my deductions. ’ ’ 

“Try it on me, Tom,” said Ralph. “I’d 
like to see how you succeed.” 

“Very well, Ralph,” said Tom, laughing. 
“I’ll begin now. Did you enjoy that soft- 
boiled egg you ate for breakfast this morn- 
ing?” 

“I like eggs generally,” said Ralph; “but 
I must confess I did not enjoy that one at 
breakfast. But tell me, Tom,” continued 
Ralph, in surprise, “how did you get on to 
that?” 

“I am very fond of soft-boiled eggs, too, 
Ralph,” said Tom, “but I generally prefer 
black pepper on them. No wonder you did 
not enjoy the one you ate, since you put 
so much Cayenne pepper on it.” 

“You’ll do, Tom,” said Ralph, greatly 
astonished. “Now, tell me please what you 
have seen about me that tells you so much.” 

“To begin with,” said Tom, “there is a 
little spot of egg on the bosom of your shirt 
below the line of the vest. No wonder you 
didn’t see it when you left the breakfast 
table.” 

“I should think not,” said Ralph, examin- 
ing it. “Why, it’s not bigger than the head 
82 


AS DETECTIVES 


of a pin. Where does the red pepper come 
in?” 

“It comes in on the egg spot, and, if I’m 
not mistaken, in large quantities. See here, ’ ’ 
he added, “as small as this speck is, it con- 
tains quite a number of separate red spots. 
This I inferred was red pepper, and I was 
quite sure of it when you informed me that 
you had not enjoyed the egg this morning.” 

“Good boy, Tom!” said Rick, at once pick- 
ing up a magnifying glass and holding it 
near the spot on Ralph’s shirt. “I can count 
over twenty little • grains of red pepper in 
this spot.” 

‘ ‘ Try your powers of observation on Rick, 
Tom,” said Ralph. 

“Yes, see what you can tell about me,” 
said Rick. 

“I’ll try,” replied Tom. “Did you drink 
more than one glass of soda-water on your 
way here this afternoon ? ’ ’ 

“Only one, Tom,” said Rick, laughing. 
“You can’t tell me what flavor I had.” 

“Oh, yes, I can,” said Tom. “Fresh 
strawberry.” 

“Was that a mere guess, Tom, because 
you know I’m fond of fresh strawberries?” 

“No,” said Tom; “it’s a scientific deduc- 
tion, a la Sherlock Holmes. In the first place, 
83 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


I see a little speck on your upper lip where 
some of the foam of the fresh strawberry 
soda-water remains. I could not have been 
sure about the fresh strawberries if I had 
not seen the marks on your handkerchief 
where you wiped foam off your lips. How 
will that do, Rick?” said Tom, laughing. 

‘ ‘ You’re certainly great, Tom,” said Rick; 
“but it doesn’t surprise me, as I’ve often 
heard you say all scientific people are close 
observers. Now, you are a close observer, as 
you have just shown. ’ ’ 

“You’ve got sharp eyes, Tom,” commended 
Ralph. ‘ 1 But, Rick, ’ ’ he added, ‘ ‘ I know you 
are as close an observer as Tom. Do you 
think you can take the part of Sherlock 
Holmes and so help Tom, or will you only 
be able to write down Tom ’s wonderful feats 
as a Doctor Watson?” 

‘ ‘ I might make a bluff at playing Sherlock 
Holmes,” said Rick, laughing. 

“Then begin with me,” exclaimed Ralph. 

“I’ve no objection,” responded Rick, “so 
I’ll begin by asking you why it was that in- 
stead of coming directly here from your home 
this afternoon, you went out of your way 
and passed by Sam Lung’s shop.” 

“Hello!” said Ralph. “You are even 

84 


AS DETECTIVES 


cleverer than Tom. What do you see that 
enables you to deduce that?” 

“Yes; tell us, Dick,” said Tom. 

“It’s very simple,” said Kick. “Look at 
your shoes.” 

Both Ralph and Tom did this at once. 
Ralph was a neat fellow, and, unlike most 
boys, kept his shoes well shined. There 
could be seen on the shoe of the right foot 
a little marking of blue-colored mud, with one 
or two specks on the leather, as if Ralph had 
stepped in a blue puddle and splattered some 
of it over a part of the upper of his shoe. 

“You’ve been treading in blue mud, 
Ralph,” said Rick. “It looks as if you had 
jumped across a puddle, striking it with the 
right foot only. Now, I note it is hardly dry 
yet, so it must have occurred less than an 
hour ago. It happens that the other day 
when passing Sam Lung’s place I noticed 
that he had evidently dropped a piece of 
indigo or some other blue stuff he uses in 
his washing, thus making a blue mud- 
puddle. ’ ’ 

“That’s splendid, Rick,” said Ralph. “I 
think you should be Sherlock Holmes No. 2, 
and I can only be Dr. Watson, but,” he added, 
“I’ll do the best I can for you as Dr. 
Watson.” 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


VII 

JAMIE AND CHARLIE, CHUMMIES 

“I wonder why we don’t see more of 
Sandy Jamieson and Abe Levy, Tom?” in- 
quired Ralph one day. 

“They have both gone to work during the 
holidays. ’ ’ 

“ Don’t you people intend leaving the city 
soon, Ralph?” inquired Tom. 

“Not until some time in August,” was the 
reply. 

“And how about yours, Rick?” inquired 
Tom. 

“I am not certain, but I think they’ll be 
here until early in August. Mother is un- 
willing that father shall tire himself by going 
to Atlantic City every day except Sunday* 
so she has persuaded him to let us remain 
here for awhile.” 

“Then,” said Tom, “I can count on two 
good chums during July and part of August. 
If we three can’t have good times together, 
I want to know why.” 

“What do you propose to do, Tom?” in- 
quired Rick. 


86 


AS DETECTIVES 


“Something in electricity, together with 
walks and ball games in the park,” said Tom. 

“Have you been thinking of anything in 
particular about electricity, Tom?” inquired 
Rick. 

“Yes; I have been thinking of getting you 
and Ralph to join me in building a wireless 
telegraphic apparatus. You remember Mr. 
Dodge has several times suggested that it 
would be well for us to do this.” 

“How long have you been thinking of 
this, Tom?” inquired Rick. “Tell me now, 
honor bright, didn’t you build' that induction 
coil with an idea of using it in the wireless 
apparatus ? ’ 9 

“You’re quick, Rick,” said Tom, laughing. 
“I did just that. Of course you know a Ley- 
den- jar battery can be employed for obtaining 
the electrical sparks used in wireless teleg- 
raphy, hut an induction coil is better. The 
one we have constructed will do very well 
for beginning work. It produces a good, 
thick, inch-and-a-half spark. ’ ’ 

While they were talking, Tom’s little 
brother, Jamie, came into the room and said : 

“Are you doing tricks, Tom? Because 
if you are and don’t mind my staying, I’d 
like to see them.” 


87 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“As I have often told you, Jamie, we’re 
not doing tricks. Ralph and Rick and I are 
experimenting with this,” said Tom, point- 
ing to an electrical machine connected to a 
battery of Leyden jars. 

“Turn the handle of the machine, Rick,” 
said Tom, “and show Jamie what it does.” 

As the electric discharges passed between 
two smooth brass balls connected with the 
machine, Jamie was greatly delighted with 
the bright light and the loud crackling 
sounds. 

“That’s what I call doing tricks, Tom. 
May I stay?” 

“Certainly, Jamie,” was the reply. “But 
Jamie must be careful not to touch anything 
in the room, especially a thing that looks 
like this” — pointing to a Leyden jar. 

“ I ’ll not touch it, ’ ’ said J amie. 1 ‘ But what 
would happen if I did?” he inquired a few 
moments later; for, as it is well known, curi- 
osity is a marked trait in a young child. 

“A big dragon with fiery eyes would come 
out and shake you, ’ ’ said Rick. 

“Then, brother Tom,” said Jamie, “I 
won’t touch anything.” But curiosity still 
prompting him, he added: “Suppose I 
touched a dear little jar; would I get much 
hurted?” 


88 


AS DETECTIVES 


“You might indeed, Dr. Jamie,” said 
Rick. “Although only a little giant would 
come out of the small jar, he’s strong enough 
to hurt you.” 

“I know why you call me Dr. Jamie,” 
said the little lad. “It’s because of that day 
last year, when you were hurted by the 
trolley-car. I came over with brother Tom, 
and saw you in bed, and when you began 
eating I said: ‘ I guess you were not hurted 
much.’ Is that the reason!” he continued. 

i i That ’s why, J amie, ’ 9 answered Rick. ‘ ‘ It 
was on account of the excellent prognosis 
you made.” 

“What does Rick mean by prog noses, 
Tom!” inquired Jamie. “What kind of 
noses are they!” 

“They are the noses that smell out what’s 
going to happen when a fellow’s sick, 
Jamie,” said Rick. 

“You tell me, Tom/’ said Jamie; “I know 
Rick is only in fun.” 

So Tom explained to the youngster what 
the word meant. 

“Do you like the holidays, Jamie!” in- 
quired Ralph. 

“I like the holidays, all right,” was the 
reply, “because there’s not so much going 
89 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


to school, but holidays aren’t so nice when 
all the boys I play with go to the country. 
I wish, brother Tom,” continued the little 
fellow, “I had a chum like you.” 

“What would you do if you had a chum, 
Jamie?” inquired Ralph. 

“He and I would have good times to- 
gether,” was the reply. “We’d take long 
walks, and do things, and have secrets, and 
play together.” 

“How old are you, Jamie?” inquired 
Ralph. 

“I’m five years old,” was the reply. 

“Just the age of my little brother, 
Charlie,” said Ralph. “I don’t think either 
of you have ever seen Charlie, have you?” he 
added, turning to Tom and Rick. 

“I never have,” said Tom. “I didn’t 
know you had a brother.” 

“Nor did I,” said Rick. 

“Yes, I have one, and he’s a lively young- 
ster, I can tell you,” replied Ralph. “He’s 
Jamie’s size to a T.” 

“Do you think your brother Charlie would 
like to be my chum?” inquired Jamie of 
Ralph, suddenly becoming interested. 

6 ‘ I have no doubt of it, ’ ’ was the reply. ‘ ‘ I 
heard him say to Mother only this morning 

90 


AS DETECTIVES 


that he wished he could find some little boy 
to play with, since, like you, Jamie, all his 
little friends have left the city for the 
country. ’ ’ 

“Won’t you bring him here some time, 
Ralph,” said Tom. “I should he very glad 
if Jamie had a companion of his own age.” 

Jamie, who was standing by the open 
window, suddenly cried out: 

“Here comes a man and a little boy up 
the steps, Tom.” 

“Good morning, Ralph,” said a gentle- 
man, who now entered the room with the 
youngster. “Your mother asked me to 
leave Charlie with you. The little fellow 
was feeling lonely, and asked his mother if 
she couldn’t send him to you. 

“ ‘I don’t know where Ralph is, Charlie,’ 
said Mrs. Coffin. 

“ ‘But I do,’ replied the youngster. ‘I 
heard brother Ralph say he was going to 
Tom Bronson’s laboratory.’ 

“Shall I leave the youngster with you, 
Ralph?” inquired the man, whom Ralph in- 
troduced to Tom as one of his neighbors. 

“Yes; leave him,” was the reply, “and 
thanks for the trouble you have taken. 
I will bring him home when I come.” 

91 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


In the meanwhile the two youngsters lost 
no time in becoming acquainted. 

“My name’s Jamie,” said Tom’s brother. 

“And mine’s Charlie,” said Ralph’s 
brother. 

“I like you,” said Charlie. 

“Then let’s be chums,” said Jamie. 

“I’m willing,” said Charlie. “Your 
brother Tom is my brother’s chum, and my 
brother Ralph is your brother’s chum, so 
you see we ought to be chums, too. ’ ’ 

“Do you know what my brother, your 
brother, and Rick were doing when you came 
into the room, Charlie!” inquired Jamie. 

“No; tell me.” 

“They were doing tricks. I forget just 
what brother Tom called it, but it’s very 
queer, so I call it tricks.” 

“Turn the handle of the electrical machine 
again, Rick,” said Tom, “and show Charlie 
the giant with fiery eyes coming out of those 
things,” — pointing to the Leyden jars. 

Like Jamie, Charlie was greatly surprised 
at what he saw and heard. 

“Charlie,” said Jamie, “brother Tom says 
that if we touched that thing” — pointing to 
a Leyden- jar battery — “a big giant would 
come out and shake us so we would become 

92 


AS DETECTIVES 


deaders, and that even if we touched that 
little fellow there we would get shaken 
pretty hard. ’ ’ 

“I ain’t afraid to touch the little one, 
Jamie,’ ’ said Charlie. “Will you touch it 
if I do?” 

‘ ‘ ’Course I will, ’ ’ was the reply. “I’m not 
a ’f raid-cat.” 

“Let’s give the youngsters a lesson,” said 
Tom. “It won’t do for them to go around 
touching things here.” 

“All right,” said Rick. “Suppose we 
put a dear little charge in the jar, and let 
it shake them.” 

“Jamie,” said Tom, when he had put in a 
small charge, “give Charlie one of your 
hands. Now touch the bottom of this jar 
with the other hand, and, Charlie, you touch 
that brass ball, and see what happens.” 

“Will it be long before the little giant 
comes out?” inquired Charlie of his brother 
Ralph. 

“No; he is very spry,” replied Ralph. 
“He’ll come out before you can count two.” 

“I’m going to touch it, Jamie,” said 
Charlie. 

Both little fellows were greatly surprised 
and somewhat frightened when, before they 

93 


THE BOY ELECTRICIAN S 


could even begin to say one, they were sud- 
denly shaken by the discharge. 

“You are right, Rick/’ said Charlie; 
‘ ‘ there is a little giant in there, but he hasn ’t 
the fiery eyes of the big giant.” 

“Why can’t we see him, Tom?” inquired 
Jamie. 

“Because he’s so small.” 

“I guess, Jamie,” said Charlie, “we had 
better not touch the big jar.” 

“You had better not,” replied Tom, “and 
unless you promise me, honor bright, that 
you will not touch anything in my laboratory, 
I cannot let you come here.” 

“I promise,” said Charlie. “Honest 
Injun. ’ ’ 

“What does that mean, Charlie?” inquired 
Ralph, laughing. 

“I don’t know for certain,” said the young- 
ster. “I heard a big fellow say it one day, 
and I think it means ‘I will never, never do 
it.’ ” 

“All right,” said Tom, laughing. “You 
must both promise, honest Injun, that you 
won’t touch anything in this room,” and the 
little fellows did so. 

“Brother Tom,” said Jamie, after they 
had shown the youngsters some more simple 

94 


AS DETECTIVES 


experiments in electricity, “can Charlie and 
I go over to the house ? I want to show him 
some of my things, and then play with him 
on my velocipede. ’ ’ 

“Yes; but don’t go outside the gate.” 

“We won’t, honest Injun,” said the 
youngsters, laughing. 

As the lads left the room, Ralph turned to 
Tom and said: 

“I’m glad Charlie and Jamie have met. 
Charlie’s a bright little fellow and afraid 
of nothing. Indeed, I wish he would get 
frightened now and then, for, as I must tell 
you, he is very fond of wandering off by 
himself. We must tell them not to take these 
walks unless some one is with them. Charlie 
has been lost several times, but he never 
seems to be much frightened about it.” 

That the three members of the Society 
of the Holy Terrors, Jim, Jam, and Job, had 
not given up trying to annoy Tom and his 
friends, was soon shown by a lot of grease 
that had been smeared over the outer steps 
near the door of Tom’s laboratory. 

“Look out, you don’t slip here, boys,” 
said Tom, as they were about leaving the 
laboratory. 

“Slip on what?” inquired Rick. 

95 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“On that tallow that some one has spread 
on the upper step. I say,” he added, “this 
must have been done while we were in here, 
for it was not on the steps when we entered. 
How I should like to have caught them! 
Yes,” he added, “it’s the same crowd” — 
pointing to the initials, “J. J. J.,” and “H. 
T.,” that were marked on the steps alongside 
the grease. 

“Come, Tom,” said Ralph, “it’s time that 
Sherlock Holmes and his assistants were get- 
ting their work in.” 

“There’s nothing for Holmes and his 
friends to do,” was the reply. “These 
fellows have told us who did the thing. But 
we must try to punish them for it.” 


AS DETECTIVES 


vm 

LIEUTENANT HARKENSON SENDS 
FOR TOM AND HIS 
CHUMS 

“ Do you see anything queer about this, 
Tom?” inquired Rick, handing him a brand 
new United States half-dollar one morning 
shortly after the events recorded in the last 
chapter, when he and Tom were alone in 
the laboratory. 

“I see nothing unusual, Rick,” remarked 
Tom, after examining it carefully, “ except 
that it does not weigh quite as much as 
most half-dollars.” 

“Good boy!” said Rick. “It’s lighter be- 
cause it is a counterfeit.” 

“Where did you get it?” inquired Tom. 
“You don’t mean to tell me you were stuck 
with it, do you?” 

“Not much, mother took it from some 
one, but she can’t remember whom,” replies. 
Rick. “She gave it to me as a curiosity. 
Let’s see what it is made of.” 

“All right,” said Tom. “Tell me how 
I can help you.” 


97 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“Cut me off a few small pieces of the in- 
side of the coin, ’ ’ said Rick. 

Placing the half-dollar in a vise, Tom filed 
off a small part of the edge, catching the 
filings on a sheet of paper. 

“Now,” said Rick, “we will dissolve these 
filings in acid, and I can soon tell, from 
simple tests, of what metals the coin mainly 
consists. As you yourself detected, the 
counterfeit is not quite as heavy as a good 
coin.” 

It did not take Rick long to determine that 
the counterfeit consisted of an alloy of lead, 
tin, and antimony. 

They had finished the analysis, and Rick, 
who was very methodical, had washed the 
test tubes and put the chemical reagents he 
had been using back on the shelf, when Sam 
Lung came to the door and said: 

“Can Sam come in?” 

“Yes,” said Tom; “want to tell me some- 
thing?” 

“Sam got stuckee with this,” said the 
Chinaman, handing Tom a half-dollar exactly 
like the one he and Rick had been examining. 

“Where did you get it, Sam?” inquired 
Rick. 


98 


AS DETECTIVES 


“Paid me for work,” was the reply. 

“Do you remember from whom you got 
it?” inquired Tom. 

“Got it from lady I work for. I go to 
her and say, ‘You paid me bad money.’ She 
say, ‘Money paid me by lmessenger boy.’ I 
say, ‘Give me good money for it.’ She say, 
‘No; you go find lmessenger boy.’ ” 

“And what do you want us to do, Sam?” 
inquired Tom. 

‘ ‘ Find lmessenger boy, and Sam will say to 
policeman, ‘Catchee that boy and lockee 
him up.’ ” 

‘ ‘ This is interesting, Tom, ’ 9 said Rick, when 
the Chinaman had left them. “It means 
work for Sherlock Holmes and his assist- 
ants. 9 9 

“Here comes Ralph,” said Tom. “I know 
his step.” 

“What do you think I have in my hand?” 
cried Ralph, as he entered the room. “Come, 
Rick, you were good at telling from the 
appearance of my shoes what I had been 
doing. See if you can tell me what I have 
in my hand . 9 9 

‘ ‘ That ’s easy , 9 9 said Rick. “ It ’s a counter- 
feit half-dollar.” 


99 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


Ralph was dumfounded. 

“You certainly are a Sherlock Holmes, 
Rick, ’ 9 he said. 4 ‘ How did you know ? What 
can there be peculiar about my hand that en- 
abled you to guess V 9 

“Nothing, Ralph ,’ 9 said Rick, laughing. 
“It was pure bluff. I guessed it. But before 
you show it to me, tell me, is it not like this 1 9 9 
— showing him the coin that Sam Lung had 
left with them, and which he had slipped 
under a board when he heard Ralph coming 
up the steps. 

“And also like this?” inquired Tom, show- 
ing him the coin Rick had been testing, and 
which he had also hidden when he heard 
Ralph coming. 

“Exactly like both,” said Ralph. 

As the boys were leaving the laboratory, 
Jamie came in and handed Tom a letter. 

“Mother told me to take this to you, Tom. 
The postman left it at the house.” 

“Excuse me, boys,” said Tom, as he 
opened the envelope and read the letter. 
Then he said : 

“This will interest both of you. It is from 
our friend Lieutenant Harkenson, to 
whom we gave some help in the arrest of 
Pietro and Giuseppe. I’ll read it.” Tom 
then read as follows : 

100 


AS DETECTIVES 


“ ‘My dear Tom: 

‘ ‘ 4 1 should like to have you and your friend 
Rick help me in some detective work. I will 
not tell you on paper what the work is, as 
letters sometimes get lost. If you can call 
on me at my office any time to-day, I shall 
be obliged. If your friend who gave me 
some help can come with you, I should like 
it. I think his name is Ralph. 

“ ‘It might be well to burn this letter as 
soon as you have read it. I will be in all the 
afternoon and evening. 

“ ‘Your friend, 

“ ‘The Lieutenant.’ ” 

‘ ‘ Our reputation as detectives is spreading, 
Rick,” said Tom, laughing. “You’ll go with 
me, won’t you, Rick?” 

“Sure,” was the reply. 

“And you, Ralph?” 

“I shall be glad to, Tom, but I’m afraid 
I’ll not be of much use. I am no detective, 
and will even make a poor Dr. Watson 
No. 2.” 

‘ ‘ Come along, anyhow, and do the best you 
can. That will satisfy us.” 

At the police station, Tom and Rick were 
at once led into a room where the Lieutenant 
101 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


was seated before a Morse telegraphic 
sounder and key. He had been sending a 
message, but closed the key when he heard 
footsteps. 

“Much obliged to you for coming boys,” 
he said, shaking hands with them. 

“We were only too glad to come, Lieu- 
tenant. We hope we can be of use to you.” 

“All right, my lad, I’ll be satisfied if you 
do as well as you did last year.” 

“What do you want us to do?” inquired 
Tom. 

“Wait a moment,” said the Lieutenant; 
then, pushing an electric button, he said to 
an officer who came to the door: 

“Don’t let me be disturbed while I’m talk- 
ing with these boys, and be sure you let no 
one come where they can hear what we are 
saying. 

“I have an important case on my hands 
just now, boys, in which I will need all the 
help I can get. What do you think of that?” 
he said, suddenly handing Tom a half-dollar. 

“It’s a counterfeit,” said Tom, glancing 
at it. 

“How do you make that out?” said the 
Lieutenant, chuckling in a way that he was 
in a habit of doing when pleased. 

102 


AS DETECTIVES 


1 ‘ Because , ’ 9 said Tom, “it looks so much 
like this ; ’ 9 and he handed the Lieutenant the 
half-dollar that Rick and he had been ex- 
perimenting with in the laboratory. 

“Did you cut this, Tom?” the officer in- 
quired, examining the edges that had been 
filed off. 

“I cut it so that Rick could examine it 
chemically and see what kind of stuff it was 
made of.” 

“Are you well enough up in chemistry to 
do this?” inquired the Lieutenant, turning 
to Rick. 

“Yes, sir,” replied Rick. 

While the conversation had been going on, 
Ralph, who had been comparing the coin the 
Lieutenant had shown Tom with that Tom 
and Rick had been examining, said, more to 
himself than to the others : 

“It is the same.” 

“What is the same, my lad?” inquired the 
Lieutenant, turning to Ralph. 

“The same as this,” said Ralph, taking 
another coin out of his pocket. 

“And the same as this,” said Tom, taking 
out the coin Sam had left. 

‘ ‘ I have certainly picked out three excellent 
associate detectives,” said the Lieutenant, 
103 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


chuckling louder than ever. “But tell me, 
boys,” he added, “how did these coins come 
into your possession? Suppose you begin, 
Tom.” 

“This coin,” said Tom, “was left with me 
by Sam Lung, a Chinese laundryman, whose 
shop is near my laboratory.” He then re- 
lated what Sam had told him concerning his 
customer and the Colonial Messenger boys. 

“That’s capital!” cried the Lieutenant. 
“I’ll put a plain clothes man on the track 
of all the Colonial District Messenger boys 
in the neighborhood.” 

“That’ll not be at all necessary, Lieu- 
tenant,” said Tom. “I think we can make 
a fair guess as to the boys.” 

“How is that, Tom?” inquired the Lieu- 
tenant, greatly interested. 

Tom then told him about the three mes- 
senger boys, Jim, Jam, and Job, and the 
tricks they had played on them. 

“Why do you suppose these boys wanted 
to join your society?” 

“They wanted a place in which to smoke 
and loaf,” said Tom. 

“And also a place to hide in from the 
police when they are after them,” added 
Rick. 

“Tell the Lieutenant, Tom,” said Ralph, 

104 


SERGEANT, I WANT YOU TO HEAR WHAT THESE BOYS HAVE TO SAY 



































AS DETECTIVES 


“what Jam and Job said as to some other 
reasons why they wanted to join.’ ’ 

“Suppose you tell me,” said the Lieu- 
tenant. 

“One of the boys, named Jam,” replied 
Ralph, “said he wanted to join because, be- 
sides being a dandy place to smoke, loaf, and 
bunk in, he thought it would be a good place 
for his people, the Reds, to meet in now and 
then.” 

“And why did Job wish to join? ” inquired 
the Lieutenant. 

“Job wanted a place in which to smoke 
loaf and sleep, too. He was about to add 
another reason when he stopped, but Tom 
drew him out, and he finally acknowledged 
that he had heard Rick was a chemist and 
knew how to coat the surfaces of ordinary 
metals with silver and gold . 9 9 

“Capital!” said the Lieutenant, who was 
chuckling louder than ever. “But wait, 
boys,” he said, and, touching another push 
button, he said to his principal assistant, who 
came into the room: 

“Sergeant, I want you to hear what these 
boys have to say. They are three assistant 
detectives I have engaged to help me in the 
counterfeiting case.” 

He then rapidly, by a number of questions, 

105 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


had them repeat all the information they 
had given him. 

“What do you think of my assistant 
detectives, Sergeant ? ’ 9 

“They’re all right,” was the hearty reply. 
“I’m glad we’re going to have their help.” 

“The information you have given us is 
important, boys,” said the Lieutenant. “Of 
course Jim, Jam, and Job are only nick 
names. I should like to get their full names 
and residences. While I can do this by in- 
quiring at the offices of the company, I don’t 
think this advisable just now. I’ll have to 
see if I can’t find out in some other way.” 

“That’s where Tom’s long head comes in,” 
said Rick. 

“What do you mean!” inquired the Lieu- 
tenant. 

“Instead of turning these boys down at 
once, as Ralph and I thought he would, Tom 
found out just the kind of fellows they were, 
had me prepare a form of application for 
membership to the society, and made them 
sign their full names and addresses on the 
papers. I brought these with me, thinking 
they might be of use,” he added, taking them 
from one of his pockets, and handing them 
to the Lieutenant. 


106 


AS DETECTIVES 


“Good!” cried tlie officer jubilantly. 
“What do you think of that, Sergeant?” he 
added, handing him the papers. 

4 4 Splendid, ’ ’ was the reply. 

“I suppose they were angry when you 
turned them down,” remarked the Lieuten- 
ant, turning to Tom. 

“They were. They said they would get 
even with us.” 

“And have they?” inquired the Lieu- 
tenant. 

4 4 In a way,” said Tom, and then he told 
the officers about the muddy hand on the 
panel outside the laboratory. 

4 4 Why do you think these three boys did 
it?” asked the Lieutenant. 

4 4 Because below the finger-marks we saw 
the letters 4 J. J. J.’ followed by 4 H. T.’ in 
lead pencil , 9 9 explained Tom. 4 4 The 4 J. J. J . 9 
undoubtedly meant Jim, Jam, and Job.” 

“I don’t see what the 4 H. TJ stands for,” 
said the Sergeant. 

Tom was about to tell him when the Lieu- 
tenant inquired: 

4 4 What did you do about the hand mark? 
Is it still on the door? Have you done any- 
thing to get square with the boys who 
did it?” 


107 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


The boys began to smile when the Lieu- 
tenant asked this question. 

“I see that you did try to get even with 
them. Tell me what you did.” 

“Let me tell him, Tom,” said Rick. Then 
to the officer he said: “Tom was mad at 
having his laboratory door marked in this 
way, so he said: ‘Rick, these fellows will 
come back again sure. Now, while I’m clean- 
ing off this panel, getting it ready for another 
marking, you go into the laboratory and pre- 
pare some kind of stuff that we can put over 
the door without changing its appearance. 
If these fellows do come back, as I think they 
will, and one of them puts his hand on the 
panel to dirty it, he will be sorry.’ So I 
prepared the medicine, and when the clean 
panel was dry we spread the stuff over it and 
left it there.” 

“And did your plan succeed?” inquired 
the Lieutenant. 

“It succeeded all right,” replied Rick, 
laughing. “Guglielmo, another messenger 
boy, a nice little fellow who sometimes comes 
into the laboratory, told us he heard that Jim, 
Jam, and Job had formed a society called 
‘The Holy Terrors,’ the principal object of 
which was to get even with us for keeping 
108 


AS DETECTIVES 


them out of our society. He also told me 
that the day after we left the chemical sub- 
stance on the panel, one of the boys, Jim, 
came into the office with his right hand 
wrapped up. 

“Guglielmo asked him what had happened 
to his hand, and he told him that it was 
badly burned. He would not tell him how 
he hurt it, but said he would get even with 
those who did it.” 

Rick then related how Guglielmo heard 
from Job all about how Jim when he returned 
and saw the impression removed had again 
taken especial pains to leave a new impression 
there. 

“What do you think of that for a trick, 
Sergeant?” inquired the Lieutenant. 

“It’s an all-right one, Lieutenant, ’ ’ was the 
reply. “I think the messenger boys had bet- 
ter leave our boys alone.” 

On being further questioned, Tom told of 
the broken glass in the window of the lab- 
oratory, and the grease smeared on the upper 
steps. 

“It seems to me, Lieutenant,” said the 
Sergeant, “that we have enough evidence to 
arrest these boys. ’ 9 

“That’s what we told Tom,” said Rick, 
smiling. 


109 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 

“And what did Tom say?” inquired the 
Lieutenant. 

“He said he thought it would be more fun 
if we ran these fellows in ourselves. We 
agreed to this, and formed a new society, con- 
sisting of Tom, Ralph and myself, called 4 The 
Boy Detectives . 9 Tom is President, or Sher- 
lock Holmes, and Ralph is Secretary and I 
am Treasurer, as two Dr. Watsons.” 

This so pleased the Lieutenant and the 
Sergeant that they laughed long and heartily 
— a very unusual thing with either of them. 

“I think you will agree with me that our 
new assistants are all right,” said the Lieu- 
tenant. “But to answer your question, I 
think Tom is quite right in not proceeding 
legally against these fellows. I will have 
them shadowed, but will leave them at liberty. 
In a counterfeiting case, although it is im- 
portant to arrest those who shove the queer, 
it is more important to discover where the 
stuff is made. 

“I’ll not keep you any longer, boys,” the 
Lieutenant added. “If you get any new in- 
formation about the counterfeit money, or 
anything should occur in which you want my 
help and advice, call on me here. You are 
sure to see me almost any day between two 
no 


AS DETECTIVES 


and four in the afternoon. By the way,” he 
added, “if you should see any counterfeit 
money passed, follow those passing it, and 
try to find out where they live.” 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


IX 

REDDY GETS TO WORK 

After reaching Philadelphia, in the lan- 
guage of the crooks, Reddy “laid low,” that 
is, remained for most of the time in Ben’s 
crib, going on the streets only late at night 
and then with great caution. He knew he 
was wanted by the police authorities of several 
cities, and feared being shadowed. But when 
a week had passed without anything happen- 
ing he concluded that his presence in Phila- 
delphia was undiscovered and went out more 
freely. 

“Hev ye did anything to get even with 
them sixteen-year-old kids for helpin’ gettin’ 
yer pals jugged, Reddy?” inquired Big- 
Eared Ben. 

“Not yet,” was the reply; “but I haven’t 
forgotten them. Can you suggest anything ? ’ ’ 

“I think I kin,” said Ben. “Come wid 
me to-night and I’ll interduce ye to some of 
the Reds.” 

“If you mean the anarchists, Ben, I don’t 
want to know them. I’ve no use for them — - 
at least, not now.” 


112 


AS DETECTIVES 

“But, Red,” persisted Ben, “come wid me 
and see them people, annyhow. They kin 
tell ye somethin’ about the boys yer wanter 
get even wid.” 

“Can’t you tell me, without my going to 
see your friends? I must lie low for awhile, 
and don’t care to mix with other people, 
especially people like the anarchists, who are 
so fond of talking about what they intend 
doing.” 

“All right, Red,” replied Ben. “I’ll be- 
gin by tellin’ ye I kin interduce ye to three 
Colonial District Messenger boys that hate 
them chaps as much as ye do.” 

“That’s the talk, Ben,” said Reddy. “Let 
me see those boys, and I’ll use them to help 
me punish the sixteen-year-old kids.” 

That night Ben brought Jim, Jam, and 
Job to his den, and introduced them to Reddy. 

“These be the chaps wot war set down on 
hard by them kids thet I was tellin’ ye 
about.” 

“Glad to know you,” said Reddy, en- 
deavoring to make himself agreeable. 

All boys are more or less hero-worshippers. 
This was the case with Jim, Jam, and Job. 
To them Reddy was a man to be well thought 
113 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


of, for he held high rank as a crook. Ben 
had been careful to instil this into their minds 
as he was taking them to his crib. He told 
them the man they were going to see held 
high rank among his people. When, therefore, 
Reddy laid himself out to be agreeable, Jim, 
Jam, and Job felt highly complimented. 

“Why did those fellows Ben was talking 
about turn you down and refuse to let you 
join their society ?” inquired Reddy. 

“I reckon, mister/ ’ answered Jim, “it wus 
’cause they were too much stuck on them- 
selves. They said we were not their sort.” 

“I don’t believe chaps like you intend to 
stand for such nonsense as this, do you?” 
asked Reddy. 

“Ye kin bet yer life we don’t, mister,” 
said Jim. 

“And it won’t be long afore them chaps 
finds this out,” added Jam. 

“For that matter,” said Job, with a laugh, 
“they hev already found it out.” 

“So you have already begun paying them 
back, have you? Tell me about it,” said 
Reddy. 

They then told him about the muddy hand, 
the broken glass, and the greased steps. 

114 


AS DETECTIVES 


Reddy did not say anything while the boys 
were talking. When they were through, he 
inquired : 

“Give me the names of thes'e boys. I 
don’t mean their full names — I know them. 
What do they call each other, and how are 
they known to the neighborhood V ’ 

And when the boys told him they were 
known as Tom, Rick, and Ralph, Reddy in- 
quired : 

“Did they make no attempt to pay you 
back for these tricks, or were they so fright- 
ened that they shut up entirely?” 

At this question, Job began to laugh and 
Jim to scowl. 

“Oh!” said Reddy, “they did pay you 
back. Tell me just what they did.” 

“That was a very clever trick,” commented 
Reddy, when he had heard of the manner in 
which Jim had received a burned hand. 
“Now, let me tell you fellows,” he continued, 
speaking with an angry tone for the first time 
since he had met them, “you aren’t in it with 
these boys. They are brainier than you, and 
will whip you every time. However, since 
they are my enemies as much as yours, and 
I want to see them punished, I’ll help you. 

115 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


I’ll make those boys wish they had never 
turned you down. If you don’t want my 
help, say good-by, and don’t come to me if 
they succeed, as they probably will, in jug- 
ging you for what you have already done.” 

“But, mister,” said Jim, as soon as he 
and the others had somewhat recovered from 
Reddy’s sudden change of tone, “we’ll be 
glad to have a bright chap like ye to help us.” 

“Very well, then,” said Reddy. “I’ll 
attend to the matter soon.” 

“Ben,” said Reddy, when he had dismissed 
the boys with an understanding when and 
how they could see him again, “you must 
point out these lads to me, so that I can 
recognize them. I also want to know their 
habits — where I’m apt to meet them. Before 
I know these things, I ’ll not be able to punish 
them as much as I’d like to. You see, I 
don’t want to be spotted.” 

“I’ll be glad ter help ye, Red, but don’t 
fergit thet I too be lyin’ low from the beaks, 
who would be arter me immediate if they 
lamed I war in this city. The way I hev of 
wearin’ my hair short and lettin’ the size 
of my ears be seen hez made me look so 
different thet I ain’t been as yet recognized. 

116 


AS DETECTIVES 


But I ain’t going to show myself too much, 
specially to bright fellows like them.” 

“But I must learn more about the boys. 
I suppose I must get some one else to do it.” 

“I’ll tell ye what, Red,” said Ben. “Ask 
Light-Fingered Sam to do this fer ye. I’ve 
never heard as he war especially wanted by 
the beaks. He kin go to the place war them 
fellers meet and larn all ye wanter know.” 

“Very well,” said Reddy. “I’ll ask Sam 
to do it. He and I are old pals. I’m sure 
he’ll do it, and do it well.” 

“Where are you going, Rick!” inquired 
Ralph, as he saw his friend Rick walking 
rapidly away from the laboratory, carrying 
a camera. 

“I want to get an exposure of an old house 
and tree about a mile from here,” was the 
reply. “Come with me! I won’t be more 
than an hour. I’m going straight back to 
the laboratory, where I left Tom. He’s busy 
with the wireless apparatus, and he said that 
if I returned in an hour he would be ready 
for me to help him. So come along.” 

“I’ll be glad to go, Rick,” answered Ralph. 
“I know that Tom will not feel lonely, if he 
has started to build something new.” 

117 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


Rick obtained several excellent exposures 
of the house and the tree, then set about 
making an exposure of a tree that stood in 
the street on the front of the house. He had 
pointed his camera straight down the street 
at the tree, and was about to snap the pneu- 
matic shutter, thus exposing the plate, when 
Ralph said in a low tone : 

“Look at that man’s face, Rick. I’ve seen 
bad-looking faces, but I don’t remember ever 
seeing one to equal his. ’ ’ 

“If that is so,” remarked Rick, who had 
just pressed the rubber ball, thus auto- 
matically making the exposure, “then my 
picture will be spoiled by having that man 
as a prominent object in it. I did not see 
him when I focussed on the tree. He must 
have been hidden by it as he was coming 
down the street. But he was passing just 
as I snapped the shutter, and was therefore 
sharply focussed on the plate.” 

“Don’t worry, Rick,” said Ralph. “He 
was passing so rapidly that his picture will 
hardly be seen on the plate.” 

“You’re mistaken, Ralph,” said Rick. 
“I’m using very rapid plates, and am making 
an exposure of but a small fraction of a 
second. If the man was — as I think — pass- 
118 


AS DETECTIVES 


ing the camera at the time the exposure was 
made, a sharp image of him will be found 
on the plate.” 

As the man passed the camera and saw 
what had happened, he looked angrily at the 
boys, as if he were about to take them to 
task for attempting to photograph him. He 
stopped for a moment, then, as if he had 
come to the conclusion that it would be better 
to say nothing, he rapidly disappeared down 
the street. 

“I agree with you as to the man’s face, 
Ralph,” said Rick. “I had a fine chance 
to study it. It is a face that beats the band 
for toughness. I’ve never seen its equal. But 
did you ever see a head of hair like his?” 

“Do you mean as to its color or the way 
he wears it?” 

“Both,” said Rick, laughing. “It’s the 
reddest hair I’ve ever seen, and is worn long 
and loose. Did you notice how it hung over 
his shoulders?” 

“I did; and I also noticed his bleary, 
wicked eyes. While I’m not much up on such 
things, I’ll venture to guess that man is never 
sober when he can get anything to drink. 
And he evidently often finds time to do the 
drinking. His eyes are those of a confirmed 

119 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


drunkard. But tell me, Rick/’ continued 
Ralph, 4 ‘what else did you notice about the 
man? I’m endeavoring to get into the habit 
of seeing as much as. I can in the people who 
are passing me, and then trying to see if I can 
draw any inferences. ’ ’ 

“Good boy!” said Rick. “That’s the way 
to become a real Sherlock Holmes, or, 
rather,” he added, laughing, “a Doctor 
Watson No. 2. So you want to know what I 
saw. Well, I observed several things about 
the fellow. In the first place, did you notice 
a paper package he had under his arm? If 
so, what do you remember about it?” 

“I especially noticed it, Rick,” was the 
reply. “It was wrapped in dirty yellow 
paper, and secured by a string wrapped a 
number of times around it. ’ ’ 

“Not bad, Ralph,” said Rick, laughing. 
“In the next place, you certainly did not 
fail to notice the most remarkable thing about 
that package. Come, now, tell me, did any- 
thing else strike you?” 

“Iam not sure, Rick,” said Ralph, “but it 
seemed to me as if the man held the package 
as if he were afraid of something it con- 
tained. ’ ’ 

“Very good, Ralph,” said Rick, laughing. 

120 


AS DETECTIVES 


“You noticed the very thing that struck me 
as being queer. ’ 9 

“What have you there, Tom?” inquired 
Rick, as he and Ralph returned to the lab- 
oratory, and found Tom examining a pack- 
age wrapped with yellow paper. 

“Iam looking at a mysterious package that 
was brought into this room a few minutes 
ago by one of my neighbors, who found it 
lying on the ground near the bottom of the 
outside steps/ 7 

“Is the package directed to you?” inquired 
Ralph. 

“Yes,” he said, pointing to a direction in 
lead pencil; “it’s marked, 4 Thomas Alva 
Bronson. To be opened by Tom only. From 
a well-wisher and friend/ ” 

“Have you any idea who your well-wisher 
and friend is, Tom?” questioned Rick. 

“Not the slightest,” replied Tom, laugh- 
ing. ‘ ‘ But whoever he is, he has apparently 
thought enough of me to send this.” 

“And you intend opening it?” asked Rick. 

“What are you thinking about, Rick?” re- 
plied Tom. “Of course I’m going to open 
it. How else can I find out what’s in it, 
and be able to thank my well-wisher and 
friend for his thoughtfulness?” 

121 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


Without answering Tom, Rick turned to 
Ralph and said : 

“You recognize that package, don’t you, 
Ralph?” 

“I certainly do,” was the reply. “It’s 
the package carried by that awful-looking 
red-headed man we saw a short time ago. 
He was walking in the direction of the 
laboratory.” 

“It surely is,” replied Rick. And then, 
turning to Tom, Rick inquired, “Tom, have 
you any particular red-headed ‘well-wisher 
and friend’ you can remember?” 

“With the most revolting face a human 
being can have,” supplied Ralph. 

“Who apparently never visits the barber, 
but wears his hair long and matted ; and who 
looks as if he went on a drunk whenever he 
could,” added Rick. 

“What are you boys giving me, anyhow?” 
said Tom. ‘ ‘ As far as I can remember, I have 
no red-headed friend possessing the remark- 
ably attractive face you have described. 
What are you getting at?” 

“Suppose, Tom,” remarked Rick, “that as 
Ralph and I were coming to your laboratory, 
we saw just such a red-headed man, carry- 
ing that very bundle under his arm, carefully, 
122 


AS DETECTIVES 


as if he was afraid of something it contained. 
Would you open it?” 

“I certainly would not,” was the reply. 
“I think,” he continued, “this is something 
we’d better see the Lieutenant about.” 

They agreed with Tom, and the three chums 
were soon on their way to Lieutenant Hark- 
enson’s office. 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


X 

THE MYSTERIOUS PACKAGE. 

* ‘ Do you bring me news about the counter- 
feit half-dollars, Tom!” inquired Lieutenant 
Harkenson, as the three boys who had left 
the laboratory and gone straight to the police 
station, entered the room. 

“We have something to tell you, but not 
about the counterfeit money,” replied Tom. 

“What is it!” inquired the Lieutenant; 
then, without giving Tom time to answer, he 
continued : “But tell me first, is the matter of 
sufficient importance to have the Sergeant 
hear it! If so, I’ll call him in.” 

“I’m not sure,” was the reply, “but it 
seemed to us of sufficient importance to make 
us come at once and tell you about it. ’ ’ 

“Then wait,” said the Lieutenant. “I’ll 
call the Sergeant. We’ll save time by both 
hearing it together.” 

He pressed a push button, and his assist- 
ant almost immediately came into the room. 

“Sergeant,” he explained, “you know 
these three boys. They have something to 
tell us that Tom thinks of importance. Now, 
124 


AS DETECTIVES 


Tom,” he said, “let us hear what you have 
to say.” 

“It’s about a peculiar-looking package that 
was brought into my laboratory about an 
hour ago.” 

“Were Eick and Ealph with you?” in- 
quired the Lieutenant. 

“No, sir,” was the reply; “they came in 
shortly afterwards and saw me examin- 
ing it.” 

“ Who brought it?” 

“One of my neighbors, who found it on 
the ground near the bottom of the steps lead- 
ing up to my laboratory. He saw my address 
on it, so he brought it to me. ’ ’ 

“Do you remember the exact address?” 
inquired the Lieutenant. 

“It was addressed to ‘ Thomas Alva Bron- 
son. To be opened by him only. From a 
well-wisher and friend,’ ” said Tom. 

“What do you think, Tom?” inquired the 
Lieutenant. “Isn’t it probably a trick from 
your enemies, the Holy Terrors?” 

“I might have thought so,” said Tom, 
“had not Eick and Ealph told me they had 
seen the same package being carried by a 
man only a short time before it was brought 
to my laboratory.” 


125 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“That looks different, boys,” said the 
Lieutenant, 4 ‘ Tell me everything you noticed 
about the man. ’ ’ 

“To begin with,” said Rick, “I had taken 
my camera and gone with Ralph to get an 
exposure of an old house and tree about a 
mile from Tom’s. I had focussed on the tree 
in such a manner that the camera pointed 
directly down the street. I did not see a 
man who was walking directly towards the 
camera, probably because he was hidden by 
the tree. Just as I was making the exposure, 
Ralph, in a tone so low that the man who was 
approaching could not possibly hear, called 
my attention to the man’s evil-looking face, 
remarking that it was the worst face he had 
ever seen. But Ralph was too late ; for just 
as the man appeared in front of the tree, and 
therefore was in a sharp focus, I took the 
picture. ’ ’ 

“Did the man see what you were doing V 9 
inquired the Lieutenant. 

“He did,” was the reply. “At first he 
appeared to think we had purposely taken his 
photograph, and glared angrily at us. He 
stopped for a moment as if he intended to 
berate us, but he apparently thought better 
of it, for almost immediately he passed on 
and soon disappeared down the street.” 

126 


AS DETECTIVES 


“I understood that both you and Ralph 
recognized the package Tom shortly after- 
wards received as that carried by the man/’ 

“That’s so,” said Rick. 

“Did you notice anything else about the 
fellow?” 

“I did,” said Rick. “I noticed several 
things, and asked Ralph whether he had 
noticed anything. You remember, sir,” he 
added to the Lieutenant, “that since we have 
formed the Society of the Boy Detectives, we 
have all been trying to see how many little 
things we can notice about people as we pass 
them, that might help to tell us what they 
have been doing.” 

“Go on, my lad,” said the Lieutenant to 
Rick. “Had Ralph noticed anything?” 

“He had noticed the package the man was 
carrying well enough to recognize it at once 
when we saw Tom examining it on our re- 
turn to the laboratory,” was the reply. “He 
also noticed the very bad face of the man, 
the color of his hair, and especially the fact 
that he carried the package under one of 
his arms as if he was afraid of it.” 

The Lieutenant and the Sergeant ex- 
changed significant glances, and the Lieu- 
tenant questioned r 


127 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“And did your observations of these things 
agree with Ralph’s?” 

‘ ‘ They did, sir, ’ ’ replied Rick. 

“Suppose you tell me, my lad,” said the 
Lieutenant to Ralph, “as nearly as you can, 
the appearance of the man. ’ ’ 

1 4 To begin with, ’ ’ said Ralph, ‘ 1 he had very 
red hair, redder than I had ever seen before. 
His hat was pushed back from his forehead, 
which, so far as I could see, was quite free 
from hair. The hair was long and matted, 
and hung down nearly to his shoulders.” 

“Was the man’s face as bad as you first 
told Rick it was ? ’ ’ 

“It was indeed, sir. It was a very bad, 
wicked face.” 

When Ralph began describing the appear- 
ance of the man, the Lieutenant looked at 
his assistant with surprise, so the boys con- 
cluded that both of them believed they recog- 
nized him. 

“What do you think, Sergeant?” inquired 
the Lieutenant. 

“I think I know the fellow,” said the 
Sergeant. 

“And so do I,” said the Lieutenant. 

“Who is he, sir?” inquired Rick. 

“Anoted criminal knownas Reddy. The po- 
lice authorities of San Francisco and Chicago 
128 


AS DETECTIVES 


are on the lookout for him. Our Chief of Police 
has received notices from these cities, say- 
ing that the man was coming here, and asking 
us to be on the look-out for him. If this is 
the man who sent the package to you, as it 
evidently is, you were wise in telling me 
about it before attempting to open it. 
Sergeant,” he said, turning to his assistant, 
“you are better up on the bombs of the 
anarchists than I am. Come with me to 
Tom’s laboratory, and we’ll look at this pack- 
age that was to be opened by Tom only and 
was sent by his well-wisher and friend. 

“Go straight back to the laboratory, boys. 
We will join you shortly. Since it might 
make talk in the neighborhood to see two 
police officers coming up the back steps, we 
will come in plain clothes.” 

“By the way, Tom,” said the Sergeant, 
as they were leaving, “I wouldn’t go too near 
that package if I were you. ’ ’ 

“I will not, sir,” said Tom. 

While the boys were walking back to the 
laboratory, they began talking about the dif- 
ferent kinds of bombs that were used by anar- 
chists. Although of different types, they all 
were alike in that they consisted of hollow 
vessels, containing some high explosive, and 
129 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


in addition missiles, such as bits of scrap 
iron, fragments of glass, and other hard sub- 
stances that would maim or kill a person 
when striking them under the full force of 
the explosion. 

“What explosives are placed in the 
bombs ?” inquired Ralph. “Is gunpowder 
generally used?” 

“No,” was Tom’s reply; “they generally 
use an explosive far more powerful than gun- 
powder, such as nitroglycerin or dynamite, 
or the salt of mercury employed on the per- 
cussion caps of guns or revolvers.” 

Shortly after the boys reached the lab- 
oratory, the Lieutenant and his assistant 
arrived, disguised as sellers of brooms. 
Ralph did not recognize the Lieutenant and 
his assistant, although Tom and Rick knew 
them at once. 

“I’ll take the liberty of locking this door,” 
said the Lieutenant, as he removed his false 
beard and wig and threw off a coat and 
vest. “It’s pretty hot, so we might as well 
be comfortable. And now, ’ ’ he went on, when 
his assistant had done the same thing, “let 
us see that package. I suppose that is it?” 

“Yes,” said Tom. 


130 


AS DETECTIVES 


“ Sergeant,’ ’ said the Lieutenant, “you are 
more familiar with these things than I am. 
Come over here and help me examine it. 
You boys better stay where you are.” 

It is not our intention to explain in detail 
just what the Sergeant did, except to say 
that at first he did not even handle the 
package. 

“What do you make of it?” inquired the 
Lieutenant. 

“I’m disposed to think,” was the reply, 
“that it is not one of the kind of bombs ” 

“Then you think it is a bomb?” said the 
Lieutenant, without waiting for him to finish 
talking. 

“I certainly do,” was the reply, “and 
very cleverly gotten up. Of course, it is im- 
possible to be sure before it is opened, but, 
looking at it as I have, I think it is probably 
a bomb of the friction type ; that is, one that 
is exploded by friction against some very ex- 
plosive substance. The friction is caused by 
tearing the paper in which it is wrapped, or 
by untying the string. Look,” he said, “at 
the ingenious way in which the string is 
wrapped around the package, and the number 
of knots that are left to be untied. Think of 

131 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 

the pulling that would have to be exerted if 
one tried to untie them. This pulling would 
either light a match, or otherwise ignite some 
highly explosive substance, and thus explode 
the bomb. ,, 

“Do you think we had better cover the ex- 
plosive with water before attempting to un- 
wrap it!” 

“I hardly think it necessary,” was the 
reply. “I can unwrap the package without 
wetting it. Indeed, some of the more recent 
types of infernal machines are ignited when 
put in water. Now,” he said to the Lieu- 
tenant, “you step over there with the boys. 
There is no use for more than one of us get- 
ting hurt, although I don’t believe there is 
much danger. ’ y 

Opening the blade of a sharp penknife, the 
Sergeant cut the cords so as to produce no 
pulling whatever, and then carefully slit the 
paper, removing it one sheet after another, 
until finally he had the package opened. 

“As I felt sure,” he said, “it is an infernal 
machine. You can safely come and look at it 
now. There’s no danger. See here,” he 
said, “this bottle is filled with a yellow liquid, 
a high explosive, that was to be ignited by the 
explosion of these papers that were covered 

132 


AS DETECTIVES 


with a small quantity of fulminate. As you 
see, the bottle was surrounded by a pound or 
two of broken glass. I don’t think,” 
he said, turning to the Lieutenant, 
“that Tom’s ‘well-wisher and friend’ in- 
tended the explosion should kill him out- 
right. His idea was rather to blind or maim 
him for life.” 

“Have you any idea, Rick,” said Tom, 
“what the explosive is in the bottle!” 

“It looks like nitroglycerin,” was the 
reply. 

“What do you say, Sergeant!” inquired 
the Lieutenant. 

“I think the lad is right,” was the reply. 
“I’ll take charge of the bottle. It’s quite 
safe to handle if you know what to do and 
what not to do with it. ’ ’ 

“And I,” said the Lieutenant, “will keep 
the portion of the paper containing Tom’s 
name and address. This is a most dastardly 
attempt to either injure or kill you, Tom. 
Of course it was not made by the three tele- 
graph boys who have been trying to get even 
with you. Indeed, there can be no doubt 
that it was sent to you by the red-headed man 
who was seen carrying it to your laboratory. 
The next thing is to find this man, and to have 

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THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


the law punish him. If he is the chap I 
think he is, it’ll be an additional charge be- 
sides others that have already been made 
against him. Now, boys,” he said, speaking 
to Tom and his chums, “I want you to help 
me locate that man. But before doing this, 
how long will it take you” — turning to Rick — 
“to develop the plate on which you think you 
have succeeded in taking this man’s picture?” 

“It won’t take long,” said Rick, and then 
added, as expressing what he was thinking 
rather than speaking to his companions: 
“How queerly things happen! Here I was 
provoked when I thought my picture of the 
tree would be ruined by having this man’s 
mug appear on it. Now I hope that we can 
catch him in this way. ’ ’ Then, speaking more 
directly to the two men, he said: “Do you 
care to come in and see the developing? The 
dark room is not very large, but I think we 
can all get in, if we crowd.” 

There was no little excitement when, on 
pouring the developing solution over the 
plate, the features of the man with the pack- 
age gradually appeared on the glass in front 
of the tree. The man had advanced so far 
towards the camera that he formed the most 

134 


AS DETECTIVES 


prominent object on the plate, the trees serv- 
ing as a background. 

Never had either Tom or Eick heard the 
Lieutenant chuckle as loudly as he did when 
Eick held up the dripping plate between them 
and the red light of the window, so that they 
could examine the details of the picture. 

“It’s Eeddy beyond doubt,” said the Lieu- 
tenant to the Sergeant. “The man three 
cities are looking for. What do you think 
of my assistant detectives now?” he said to 
the Sergeant. 

“They are hard to beat,” said the 
Sergeant. 

But the Lieutenant was now carefully ex- 
amining the other details of the photograph. 

“We have not only caught Eeddy, but we 
have caught him with the goods on,” he cried. 
“See here,” he added, pointing to the pack- 
age the man was carrying. “This is 
what we have just been examining. I im- 
agine you don’t care for the package, Tom, 
so I’ll put it by as evidence against this 
fellow when we run him down. I suppose 
you three lads will not object to helping me 
run this fellow in, as well as to discover 
where the counterfeit silver half-dollars are 
manufactured.” 


135 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“You can have the package, Lieutenant, 
and I am sure we’ll all be glad to help you 
catch the man. But,” continued Tom, “why 
do you suppose this man was so anxious to 
injure me?” 

“I’m not sure,” was the reply, “hut I 
think that some of the fellows you and Rick 
helped me run in last year were Reddy’s pals. 
If this is the case, it would explain why he 
is so angry with you. If you boys walk 
through the part of the city where the photo- 
graph was taken, you may again come across 
this man. If you do, try to find where he 
lives, and come and tell me.” 

“Shall I send you a print of this negative, 
Lieutenant?” 

“By all means, my lad,” was the reply. 
“Such a photograph will be of interest in 
San Francisco and New York as well as in 
Philadelphia.” 

Tom, who believed in doing things 
promptly, did not fail the next day, when the 
negative had thoroughly dried, to take a num- 
ber of silver prints, which, when thoroughly 
washed and toned, he left with the Lieutenant. 


AS DETECTIVES 


XI 

A SEARCH FOR A RED-HEADED 
RASCAL 

While Tom did not relish the loss of time 
which prevented him from completing his 
wireless apparatus, he was too sensible a 
fellow not to see the importance of aiding 
the Lieutenant in running down the man who 
had threatened his life with the infernal 
machine. He therefore willingly joined Rick 
and Ralph in a walk through the district 
named by the Lieutenant. 

Acting under the advice of the Lieutenant, 
the boys had taken with them their base-ball 
bats, gloves, and a ball. 

“It will not look as if you were trying to 
spot any one, but were out for a game,” he 
said. 

The Lieutenant’s idea was not a bad one, 
since it is doubtful if any one would for a 
moment suspect the merry-faced lads, two of 
whom would occasionally pass the ball to each 
other as one of them walked backwards 
along the street. 


137 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


When the Lieutenant suggested this plan 
to the boys, Tom laughingly said : 

“If some of your men run us in for throw- 
ing the ball in the streets, will you look after 
us, Lieutenant?” 

“That’s all right, my lad,” was the reply. 
“I’ll notify our men in that district not to 
see what you are doing.” 

They had been on the street for about half 
an hour when Ralph said : 

“If you look ahead of you, boys, you can 
see a living skeleton without its costing any- 
thing to get into the show.” 

“I have been looking at that man for some 
time, ’ ’ said Rick. 

“So have I,” said Tom. 

“Did you ever see anything to equal him?” 
inquired Ralph. “Why, he is nearly all skin 
and bones.” 

“And yet, for all that, Ralph,” said Tom, 
“I think you would find the man much 
stronger than he looks.” 

“How do you make that out?” inquired 
Ralph. 

“From the way he steps. Although so 
thin, I am sure he weighs at least one hundred 
and fifty-pounds, for, as you see, he is over 

138 


AS DETECTIVES 


six feet high and has big bones ; yet he steps 
as if he had no difficulty in raising his own 
weight. Don’t you agree with me, Rick?” 

Turning to look at Rick, Tom found his 
friend gazing intently at something that had 
just then occurred in the street. A heavily 
loaded dray, containing groceries, had been 
jarred by driving over a badly paved por- 
tion of the street, and two sugar-barrels had 
rolled off. The driver stopped his team and, 
backing the horses to where the barrels were 
lying, endeavored to get them back on the 
dray. 

Being unable to do this, and seeing the 
abnormally thin man, who was none other 
than Skinny Joe, referred to in a preceding 
chapter, the driver remarked : 

“I’d like to have some help, mister, but I 
don’t suppose it would do to ask you, for I 
reckon you have all you can do to carry your- 
self around.” 

Joe, who was angered at the man’s re- 
marks, said: 

“So ye think it’s as much as I kin do to 
lift myself, do ye? Git out of the road and 
I’ll show you the mistake ye hev made, if 
ye think I couldn’t tote a little load like 
that;” so, pushing the man roughly to one 
139 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


side, he raised the barrel of sugar from the 
street, and, while holding it in his hands, said 
to the man: “Now, pint out whar ye want it, 
and Til put it thar and when this was done, 
Joe placed the barrel lightly in the dray. 

‘ ‘ I begs yer pardon, mister, ’ ’ said the dray- 
man. “I see I hev made a mistake. Holy 
smoke !” he added, “if the little bit of muscle 
ye hev in yer body kin do what I hev seed 
ye do, it’s fortunate you hev not muscles as 
big as most men.” 

The man’s acknowledgment of his unusual 
strength seemed to please Joe, for he said: 

“Shall I put the other barrel alongside 
thet one?” 

“If you please,” said the driver. “And 
now, ’ ’ he added, ‘ ‘ come and take a drink with 
me?” — pointing to a saloon a short distance 
up the street. 

“You see, Tom,” said Rick, “your infer- 
ence as to the man’s strength was right. 
Hasn’t that fellow dandy muscles? Have 
you any idea what a barrel of sugar weighs?” 

“I’m not sure,” replied Tom, “but I think 
it is over three hundred and twenty-five 
pounds.” 

“Think how easily he lifted it, and even 

140 


AS DETECTIVES 


held it in his hands while he asked the man 
where he wished it placed. But here he comes 
back again,’ ’ said Ralph. 

“What are you doing, Rick?” asked Tom, 
as Rick ran into the street and picked up 
something from the place where the barrels 
had been. 

“I’m picking up a couple of new silver 
half-dollars,” he answered, showing them to 
Tom with a significant look. 

“The half-dollars?” inquired Tom, in an 
undertone. 

As the man was near them, Rick simply 
nodded, to intimate that they were coun- 
terfeit halves. 

“I think you must have dropped this money 
out of your pocket, sir,” said Rick, turning 
to the living skeleton. “Is it yours?” 

“Thanks, sonny,” responded the man, for, 
either the drink or the recognition of his 
great strength had pleased him, and he was 
in a good humor. “Since ye hev been so 
square ez to bring the money back to me, 
suppose ye keep one of them.” 

“Thank you,” said Rick, “but I couldn’t 
think of it, for a little service like that.” 

“Ye needn’t hesitate,” the man assured 
him. “I’m flush just now. See here,” he 

141 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


went on, putting his hand in the pocket of 
his coat, and pulling out a handful of the 
same new, bright money. 

Rick was about to refuse the money, but 
the man thrust it into his hand and dis- 
appeared down the street. 

“Ye might as well keep it, my lad,” said 
the driver, who was looking on. 

“Yes, you’d better keep it, Rick,” advised 
Tom. 

“Well, that’s something to begin with,” 
said Ralph. “So far as the counterfeit 
money is concerned, Sherlock Holmes and his 
companions are doing well. ’ ’ 

1 1 Do you call such a piece of dumb luck as 
this doing well?” inquired Tom. 

“I don’t know, Tom,” said Ralph. “Rick 
used his eyes and saw what we did not. ’ ’ 

“I think, boys,” said Tom, “there will he 
no difficulty in recognizing that man should 
we again see him.” 

“But what is more important,” Rick put 
in, “we must try to find out where he lives.” 

“Ralph, you carry the hat, and, Rick, you 
walk backwards and pass the hall to me. I’ll 
catch it, and at the same time keep my eye on 
the man.” 


142 


AS DETECTIVES 


As the man looked back and saw what the 
lads were doing, he said to himself : 

“I reckon them kids; is mighty pleased 
acanse of the money I giv them. Wall, I 
guess they’ll hev no trouble in pas sin’ it.” 

They followed the man for about half a 
mile further towards the northwest, when 
they saw him go into a mean-looking two- 
story stone-house, probably built during or 
shortly after the Revolutionary War, like 
many of the houses in this part of the city. 

“How can we tell whether the man lives 
there or has only gone on a visit?” inquired 
Ralph. 

“Look at the open window,” said Rick, a 
few moments afterwards, as they repassed 
the house. “The skeleton has taken off his 
coat and vest, and is lighting his pipe. He 
is evidently at home.” 

In order to get a good look at the house, 
Rick purposely missed the ball Tom threw 
him, so that it rolled immediately in front 
of the house. 

“It seems we’re in for seeing queer-look- 
ing men, Rick,” said Tom, about a quarter 
of an hour afterwards, as they continued 
slowly walking. “Look at that man over 

143 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


there. He is even more remarkable than the 
living skeleton/ ’ 

“ I have been looking at him, Tom,” re- 
sponded Rick. 

“ You would have no trouble in recognizing 
him again, Rick, would you?” asked Tom, 
who had also been closely watching him. 

“I certainly should not,” was his friend’s 
answer. 

The day was very hot, so the man had 
taken off his hat and was mopping his head 
with a red cotton handkerchief. At a dis- 
tance it looked as if he was quite bald, but 
a closer inspection showed that his hair was 
closely cropped. He had a small head, with 
ears that projected far beyond it. These 
features, together with his small eyes, gave 
the man an odd appearance. Rick especially 
noticed a deep scar between his right eye 
and nose. 

While they were looking at the man, he 
had put on his hat and gone into a liquor 
store on the corner. The boys noticed that 
there was a pawnshop adjoining the saloon, 
and that the building in which they were 
both situated had only two stories. As my 
readers have probably surmised, the man 

144 


AS DETECTIVES 


with closely cropped hair was Big-Eared 
Ben, the proprietor of the two shops. 

‘ ‘ Come on, boys,” said Tom, in a low tone, 
after they had taken in, as well as they could, 
the appearance of the shops. “If we stay 
here much longer, they will notice it.” So 
they passed on. 

But Ben had already become suspicious. 

“I don’t like to see those chaps pertending 
to play ball in front of this place. I saw 
’em lookin’ at me ez if they war spottin’ me.” 

On their return, about half and hour after- 
wards, they were nearing the same place 
when they saw the living skeleton coming 
down the street. He passed into the pawn- 
shop and disappeared. 

“I wonder whether he belongs there?” 
said Tom. “He appears to know the place.” 

“I think not. He is probably only going 
to see an acquaintance.” 

“How do you make that out, Rick?” in- 
quired Ralph. 

“A fellow with so much money in his 
pocket would hardly need to put anything 
in pawn.” 

The boys did not return directly to their 
laboratory; for, on talking the matter over, 

145 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


they concluded they had seen enough to 
warrant their calling on the Lieutenant at 
his office. 

As before, they were ushered immediately 
into his room. 

“I you have news for me,” he said, and, 
without this time asking whether it was im- 
portant, he called his assistant, the Sergeant, 
into the room. “Now tell us what you have 
seen,” he went on. 

The Lieutenant listened carefully while 
they gave him a description of the man they 
called the living skeleton. 

“I don’t know him, Sergeant,” said the 
Lieutenant, turning to his assistant. “Do 
you?” 

“No,” was the reply; “but the story they 
tell about the fellow’s great strength reminds 
me of something I have heard before. I don’t 
recall it now, but if I should, I’ll let you 
know.” 

The description they gave of the man that 
Rick called “the bald-headed, big-eared 
man,” was also a description of one that 
neither of them seemed to recognize. 

“I’m sorry to say that I don’t recognize 
that fellow either,” he said, turning to the 
Sergeant. 


146 


AS DETECTIVES 


“ I think, sir,’’ suggested Rick, “that may 
be because he wears his hair so short. I 
especially noticed that, although cropped 
close, the man evidently might have raised a 
big crop of hair. If he had, his appearance 
would be entirely changed.” 

When this suggestion was made by Rick, 
the Lieutenant was at once greatly interested, 
and said: 

“ Sergeant, bring me that photograph we 
were examining the other day of the fellow 
who was wanted for burglary committed 
many months ago.” 

“Did he look anything like this 1 , my 
lads ? ” he asked, showing them the picture of 
a man with hair so long that his ears were 
completely hidden. Almost instantly both 
Rick and Tom exclaimed : 

“That’s the man, Lieutenant! He looks 
different because he has his hair off.” 

“How do you know?” inquired the Lieu- 
tenant, beginning to chuckle. 

“I can tell from his eyes,” said Tom. 

“I’m sure of it,” said Rick. “I remember 
distinctly that the man had a scar between 
his right eye and his nose, and here it is 
showing clearly in the photograph.” 

“What do you think of that, Sergeant?” 
said the Lieutenant. 


147 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“I think it’s just splendid,’ ’ was the 
reply. 

“Boys,” said the Lieutenant, “what you 
have done is of great importance. I will 
examine these places where the skeleton man 
was seen, especially the saloon and the pawn- 
broker’s. Let me see that silver half-dollar 
he gave you. Yes,” he said, comparing it 
with the ones he already had, “it’s one of the 
counterfeits. ’ ’ 


AS DETECTIVES 


XII 

LIGHT-FIX GERED SAM VISITS TOM 
AND HIS CHUMS 

At the request of Reddy, Light-Fingered 
Sam had brought him the desired information 
concerning the names and habits of the three 
lads he wished to punish for the part they 
had taken in the arrest and imprisonment 
of his pals. Acting on this information, he 
had prepared the infernal machine, and 
carried it nearly to the bottom of the out- 
side stairs of the laboratory. Since he had 
prepared it with great care, and had, more- 
over, skulked around the neighborhood until 
he saw a man carry the package upstairs and 
hand it to a boy who he felt sure was Tom, 
Reddy had confidently expected to hear of 
the explosion and the consequent death or 
maiming of Tom, and perhaps of his com- 
panions also. But when day after day passed 
and he heard nothing he began to grow 
anxious. 

“I don’t see how the lad could have sus- 
pected there was anything wrong about the 
package ,’ 9 he told himself. “If he had at- 

149 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


tempted to open it, there would surely have 
been an explosion, and I’d have heard about 
it.” 

As will be remembered, Reddy’s object in 
visiting Philadelphia was to obtain the aid of 
some of his old pals in a number of burg- 
laries. Some of these promised large re- 
turns. 

Light-Fingered Sam had volunteered to 
aid Reddy, and in consequence had been 
hanging around a house in the suburbs in 
order to get information and study the lay 
of the land. 

“Sam will be back to-night,” Reddy said to 
himself, “so I’ll go to his crib as soon as 
it is dark.” 

“Everything all right, Sam?” inquired 
Reddy. 

“All’s! 0. K.,” was the reply. “The place 
is shut up. They’ve even taken the dog away 
with them. And there don’t seem to be any 
watchman on duty.” 

“Have they taken their silver with them?” 

“That’s just it,” was the reply. “It took 
me some time ter larn thet from the servants 
of the neighbors. I got talkin’ about care- 
less people, and one of ’em told me that the 

150 


AS DETECTIVES 


people who lived in thet housie war very 
careless; thet they hed not sent their silver 
away this year as usual, and hed even taken 
away their dog.” 

“Is the place hard to crack, Sam?” in- 
quired Reddy. 

“The easiest plant I’ve ever seed,” was the 
reply. “The back of the house, especially 
the kitchen door, is where the neighbors 
cannot see it.” 

“Will we have to crack the door, Sam?” 
inquired Reddy. 

“No; I pressed my wax in the keyhole, 
and hev made a key thet ’ll open the door.” 

“Then yon and I’ll be enough to do the 
job.” 

4 4 Two will be plenty. The fewer there are, 
the bigger our share of the swag. Of course 
it’sagreed,” he said, looking keenly at Reddy, 
as he asked the question, “that you and I 
share equally?” 

“Certainly,” was the reply; “but we’ll 
have to give Ben a little for keeping the 
melting pot ready, so that we can run the 
stuff down as soon as we get it.” 

“That’s all right,” said Sam; “but I’ve 
heerd thet some of this stuff, such as the 
spoons and forks and table things, might 
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THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


fetch a bigger price if we kin arrange to 
return them and no questions asked. I heerd 
thet these people hev had them in the family 
as heirlooms from their ancestors. They’d 
stand something big fer them without squeal- 
in’ on us.” 

“We will leave these out, provided we find 
them. But I think it more than likely they 
have been left in some safe deposit vault.” 

“I’m ready for the job whenever you are,” 
said Sam. 

4 ‘ Then we had better run it off to-morrow 
night. Everything is 0. K. now, but a few 
days later it may be different. Besides, there 
is no moon to-morrow near midnight. ’ ’ 

“Then I’ll meet you here,” said Sam, “to- 
morrow night near twelve. We kin easily 
reach the plant on foot in an hour and a 
half. What do ye think we ’ll need ? ’ ’ 

“A jimmy, crow-bar, persuaders, and the 
rest of the usual things.” 

Without going into the matter, it may be 
said that the burglary was successful and a 
considerable amount of silver plate was re- 
moved and melted down by Ben. The silver 
heirlooms of the family were hidden away 
by the two burglars, as will appear 
subsequently. 


152 


AS DETECTIVES 


On the night before the burglary, Reddy 
said: 

‘ ‘ I want your help in something else, Sam. 
It is about the fifteen-year-old boys we want 
to punish.’ ’ 

“Didn’t I tell ye all about ’em!” remarked 
Sam. 

“Yes,” replied Reddy; “you gave me their 
names and the places they generally meet. 
I have already sent a package to Tom, to be 
opened by him only. ’ ’ 

“Did thet package reach him, Red?” asked 
Sam. 

“Yes; I placed it myself on the ground 
near the bottom of the stairs, and I saw a 
man pick it up and hand it to a lad who, 
from what you told me, I am sure was Tom.” 

“Then, what more do ye want!” inquired 
Sam. “If ye wrapped up thet bundle and 
the chap got it, it hez exploded long ago, and 
he hez been punished as ye wished.” 

“That’s the trouble, Sam,” replied his 
companion. “There has been no mention of 
an explosion in the newspapers, and no talk 
about it.” 

“What do ye want me to do?” inquired 
Sam. 

“To go to thelaboratory, get talking with the 

153 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


boys, and try to draw from them whether any- 
thing unusual has happened lately.’ ’ 

Sam weighed in his mind the risks he would 
run in doing this. Finally, he replied : 

“Til do it, Red, and let ye know all I kin 
afore we start out fer our little walk to- 
morrow night. ’ ’ 

Light-Fingered Sam entered Tom’s lab- 
oratory the next morning with a heavy 
bundle on his shoulders. 

“Kin I show ye somethin’ prime in the 
way of books and things, my lads!” he 
asked. 

“I don’t believe you have the kind of books 
to interest me,” said Tom. “Besides, I’m too 
busy to talk with you. When I buy things, 
I prefer to go to the big stores ; then I know 
who I’m dealing with.” 

“What kind of books interest ye, my lad!” 
Sam inquired. “I may have them, for all 
ye know. If not, I kin get them fer ye.” 

“Books on electricity, chemistry, and the 
sciences generally,” said Tom. 

“ I allow I hevn’t them kind of books, but 
I kin sell ye some good cheap safety-razors, 
penknives, playing-cards, or things like thet. 
I’ve also got some good light reading I 

154 


AS DETECTIVES 


reckon would interest ye and yer friends,” 
he added, winking at Tom. 

“It will be time enough to buy razors when 
I need them,” said Tom. “I don’t need a 
penknife, and as to the kind of reading you 
refer to, I don’t care for it, nor do my 
friends. ,, 

“I reckon ye know yer mind, my lad,” 
Sam said; then, turning to Rick and Ralph, 
he asked: “Kain’t I show ye somethin’?” 

“No,” said Rick; “I haven’t the time, and 
don’t care to look at your goods.” 

Ralph told him the same thing. 

“So you boys go in for electricity and 
chemistry,” said Sam, going off on another 
tack, and in the meanwhile looking carefully 
at everything in the laboratory, to see if there 
were any signs of a recent explosion. “I 
know some about electricity myself, though 
not much. I see ye hev several electrical 
machines here, and it looks,” he said, ex- 
amining what Tom and the boys had been 
doing, “ez if you chaps were makin’ some 
electrical thing. What do ye call it?” 

“Tell him, Ralph,” said Tom, who began 
to suspect that the man was not really try- 
ing to sell good so much as to obtain informa- 
tion from them. “Rick and I are too busy.” 

155 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


4 ‘It’s a wireless telegraphic apparatus,” re- 
plied Ralph. 

“And do ye think ye kin make it work?” 

“I have no doubt that my friends will make 
it work, but we’ll know better after they get 
it completed.” 

“I see,” said Sam, still looking around. 
“You have a lot of chemical stuffs in them 
bottles, haven’t you? You are the fellow wot 
studies chemistry the most, aren’t you?” he 
said, turning to Rick. 

“I am,” replied Rick; “but how do you 
happen to know that?” 

“I guessed it,” explained the man. 

“It was a pretty good guess,” commented 
Rick, not at all convinced. 

“It war a good guess, warn’t it?” said the 
man, endeavoring not to feel provoked at 
the mistake he had made. ‘ ‘ So you use them 
things fer studying chemistry?” 

“That’s what we keep them for,” said 
Rick. 

“I reckon there are some powerful strong 
chemicals there,” said the man, addressing 
all three hoys. “I see, too, thet ye sometimes 
hev explosions” — pointing to a portion of 
the rafters over the bench that Rick used for 
performing most of his chemical experiments. 

156 


AS DETECTIVES 


The man was indicating a place where a 
hydrogen bottle had exploded with a mixture 
of hydrogen gas and air, and had driven the 
glass tube far into the rafter, scattering some 
of the sulphuric acid around the spot. The 
acid had gradually charred the wood, so that 
it looked as if it had been burned by a flame. 

4 ‘Ye must hev hed a pretty bad explosion 
there,’ ’ he remarked. 

By this time the boys had come to the con- 
clusion that they were being cross-examined, 
and they resented it. Rick, however, had 
gone a little further in his belief, and was 
wondering whether this man was not 
sent by the red-headed man, who had 
left the mysterious package with Tom, so as 
to see whether there were any marks in the 
laboratory of the package having exploded, 
or whether he could see the remains of the 
package or the package itself. He determined 
therefore, to throw the man off the scent, as 
it were. So he entered into a clear explana- 
tion of just what had made the marks. 

“What you are looking at,” said Rick, 
“occurred more than a year ago. It was 
caused by the blowing up of a hydrogen gas 
bottle. It made a great noise, but didn’t do 
much damage, since, as almost always occurs 
157 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


in such cases, the explosion was mainly up- 
wards. A piece of glass tubing, inserted in 
the cork that closed the bottle, was driven 
into the rafters, and an acid substance spread 
over the wood. That burnt space is not due 
to flames accompanying the explosion, as you 
seemed to think, but to the slow action of 
the sulphuric acid. ’ ’ 

“ I didn’t say anything about flames,” said 
the peddler. 

4 ‘No,” replied Rick; “but I thought your 
question meant that. ’ ’ 

Seeing that Rick could not be safely ques- 
tioned any further in this direction, the man 
took another tack. 

“I suppose,” he said, “you don’t mind 
my walking around and looking at your place. 
I must say it’s real handy fer fellers like ye.” 
With that, he walked towards the far end of 
the laboratory. 

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Rick 
whispered to his companions : 

“Keep your eye on him and don’t trust 
him. I think he has been sent here to see 
if there are any signs of the explosion of 
the bomb, or, if not, to see if it is still here.” 
Then he followed the man. 


158 


AS DETECTIVES 


“Hev ye got another laboratory below ?” 
enquired the man, stopping at the door. “I 
suppose thar be no objection to my openin’ 
this door, is there?” 

“ Never mind where it leads,” said Rick, 
walking rapidly towards him. “We do 
object to your opening the door.” 

Without apparently noticing what Rick had 
said, the visitor pointed to the Ley den- jar 
battery in the form of a book that, as de- 
scribed in “The Boy Electrician,” Tom had 
employed in the initiation of Ralph into the 
“Secret Society of the Jolly Philosophers,” 
and said : 

“Does thet air book tell about electricity 
or chemistry?” 

“About electricity,” replied Rick. 

“Who wrote it?” said the man. 

“Tom is the author.” 

“I think I’d like to read a book that feller 
wrote,” said Sam. “No objection is there?” 

“You’re not safe in touching anything 
here,” said Rick. “There are many queer 
things in this room that if you don’t handle 
right, might blow up and hurt you.” 

“What!” said the man in surprise. “Hev 
ye such things here?” 

“What kind of things?” inquired Rick. 

159 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“ Bombs and infernal machines,” said the 
man. 

“What’s the matter with you?” said Rick. 
“Who’s talking about bombs and infernal 
machines? Of course we haven’t any in this 
room. Do you think we are anarchists ? ’ ’ 

“I see, you have given me a bluff, my lad,” 
said the man. “Just to show thet I’m not 
afeerd, I’ll call it, and see what this book on 
electricity hez ter say.” 

The man opened the book thereby making 
the connection necessary for discharging the 
battery through his body. Tom and his 
chums had been charging their different 
Leyden- jar batteries in order to obtain the 
peculiar, rapidly oscillating discharge em- 
ployed in wireless telegraphy for sending 
messages. They had charged this battery 
with as great a charge as it could bear, so 
when the man touched it there was a loud 
explosion and he received a shock that almost 
knocked him senseless. 

Sam was so surprised that he said nothing 
for a few moments, then, recovering himself, 
he gave Rick a sickly smile and said : 

“Ye be certainly great chaps here. I 
reckon I’d better not touch things about this 
room.” 


160 


AS DETECTIVES 


1 ‘It might be well not to do so,” advised 
Rick. ‘ 4 There are not only powerful electric 
charges in different parts of this laboratory, 
but there are chemical substances that might 
explode with great force if people didn’t 
know how to handle them.” 

Rick was convinced that the man was en- 
deavoring to get information concerning the 
infernal machine, and he made this last state- 
ment for the purpose of giving the fellow 
an opportunity of questioning him in another 
way. 

“Then you chaps are up on such things?” 
he asked turning to Rick. 

“Up on what things?” returned Rick. 

“On bombs and infernal machines,” Sam 
said. 

‘ ‘ There you are again, talking about bombs 
and infernal machines,” said Rick. “See 
here, what are you trying to get at, anyhow? ’ 9 

“I meant no harm, my lad,” said the man. 
“I reckon I kain’t sell ye anything, so I’ll 
say good-morning. ” 

When the man had gone, Rick asked, 
“What do you think of him, boys? For my 
part, I feel convinced that he came here to 
try to see what had happened with the infer- 
nal machine.” 


li 


161 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“If he did,” said Ralph, laughing, “he 
didn’t get much information.” 

“He certainly didn’t,” said Tom. “But 
we have lost enough time. Let’s get back 
to our work on the wireless apparatus.” 

“Before you do so, Tom,” said Rick, “I 
want to show you something the man dropped 
on the floor. I was watching him when he 
received the discharge of the Leyden jar. It 
shook him roughly, and I noticed something 
fall out of one of his pockets. While he was 
dazed by the shock, I picked it up and put 
it in my pocket, without his seeing me. It 
was evidently something he missed, for I 
noticed afterwards that he put his hand in 
the pocket, and then looked around the floor 
to see if he could find it.” 

“Let’s see it, Rick,” said Tom. 

“It’s only a piece of green-colored wax,” 
said Ralph. 

“Do you say only, Ralph!” exclaimed 
Rick. “Do you know what a clever rascal 
can do with a piece of wax like this!” 

“What could he do!” inquired Ralph. 

“Insert it in the keyhole and take an im- 
pression of a lock, from which he can after- 
wards make a key to open the door. I think, ’ ’ 
he continued, “the next time we visit the 
Lieutenant, we’ll show him the wax.” 


AS DETECTIVES 


XIII 

SOME CURIOSITIES OF LIGHTNING- 
FLASHES 

“ Let’s knock off for the rest of the day, 
Tom,” said Rick, one day when the three 
chums had been working all the morning in 
the laboratory, and were about leaving for 
dinner. “It’s so hot that a walk in the Park 
would be pleasant. Don’t you think so, 
Ralph!” he said, turning to his other 
companion. 

“Yes, a walk would be enjoyable,” replied 
Ralph. “Still, if Tom wants to go on with 
the wireless, I’m willing to return this after- 
noon.” 

“You have been such good boys,” said 
Tom, laughing, “that I guess I’ll give you a 
half-holiday. Besides, ’ ’ he added, ‘ 4 1 feel like 
a walk myself.” 

As they had not planned to take any par- 
ticular route, they went anywhere, just as 
the humor struck them. They were out for 
a walk, however, and had probably gone six 
163 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


or seven miles through the West Park when 
they found themselves not far from the top 
of a high hill overlooking the Schuylkill 
River, near Chamounix. Here they saw an 
attractive shady (spot, covered with short 
grass, which, since the ground was dry, was 
just the place to rest awhile. 

‘ 4 Let’s lie down under that tree,” said 
Rick. 

“ Getting tired, Rick?” inquired Tom. 

“No,” was the reply; “but I want to 
enjoy the scene between here and the river."” 

“It does look inviting,” said Tom. “If 
you don’t care, Ralph, we’ll stay here for 
awhile.” 

There was something very pleasant in the 
place Rick had chosen. The grass had re- 
cently been cut, and a cool breeze from the 
river brought not only its refreshing lower 
temperature, hut also the fragrant odor of 
new mown hay, so agreeable to all, hut 
especially to those who live in the city. Tom 
and his chums had been working diligently on 
the wireless apparatus that was now rapidly 
approaching completion. Although greatly 
interested in scientific apparatus, especially 
when they could build it themselves, there 
was nevertheless enough of the hoy nature 

164 


AS DETECTIVES 


about them that the afternoon off seemed like 
a half-day holiday from school. 

It was not because the boys were tired, or 
because they had nothing to talk about, that 
they remained silent for a time. Neither of 
these conditions was common to them. But 
there was something attractive in the scene 
spread out between them and the sloping 
hill that led down to the driveway and then 
to the river. Nor did the view stop here; 
for, on the other side of the river could be 
seen another driveway and beyond it the 
steep slopes of the high lands that extend 
along the eastern banks of the Schuylkill. 
They were therefore silent. 

It is a mistaken idea that most boys who 
are passing through adolescence are devoid 
of poetic imagination ; Tom, Rick, and Ralph, 
all possessed this power, Rick probably hav- 
ing it to a greater degree than either of his 
companions. Though the most boyish of the 
three, and full of pranks, yet he would often 
drop into what his chums called “day 
dreams.’ ’ 

The place the boys had selected for resting 
was well fitted for dreams of this kind, and 
Rick had promptly become absorbed in his 
thoughts. Seeing this, Tom whispered to 
Ralph : 


165 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“Let’s keep quiet and let him have his 
dream out. He enjoys his day dreams, and 
I am sure he can learn more from them than 
from our talking.” 

Tom’s suggestion was adopted. Indeed 
both he and Ralph followed suit, so success- 
fully that I am inclined to think that if any 
of my readers had quietly drawn near the 
group they would have come to the conclusion 
that it was not only the smallest of the three 
who was wandering through dreamland, but 
that Ralph and Tom were doing their best 
to keep abreast with him. 

The two boys remained quiet for some time, 
until their companion finally emerged from 
his brown study and wondered at the lack of 
conversation. 

“Why don’t you fellows talk?” he 
remarked. 

“Why don’t you?” inquired Tom, with a 
meaning smile to Ralph. 

“I will,” said Rick. “Do you remember 
last year, when you and Ralph and I were 
flying our kite and repeating Benjamin 
Franklin’s great feat in bringing down the 
lightning flash from the clouds?” 

“Of course I remember,” said Tom. 
“What made you think of it?” 

166 


AS DETECTIVES 


“That bank of clouds in the west,” he 
replied. 1 ‘ It looks as if a thunder-storm were 
coming. ’ 9 

“That’s quite probable,” replied Tom, 
“but hardly for two or three hours yet. 
You’re not afraid of lightning, are you?” 
he inquired mischievously. 

“I’m not scared, Tom,” said Rick; “but 
even if I were, there is nothing to be ashamed 
of in being afraid of such dangerous things 
as lightning bolts. But talking about being 
scared, ’ ’ he continued, “ if I remember aright, 
our friends, Mr. Alexander and Mr. Dodge, 
who happened to come across us while that 
trick was being done, were worried because 
they feared we hadn’t sense enough to get 
scared, and were doing something extremely 
dangerous.” 

“Let’s cut this talk, Rick,” said Tom, 
laughing, “ and get on to something sensible.” 

“If you fellows have nothing else to sug- 
gest,” said Ralph, “I should like to speak 
to you about some articles I have been read- 
ing about thunder and lightning, and the 
curious pranks electric discharges sometimes 
play.” 

“That sounds well, Ralph,” said Tom. 
“Tell us about these pranks, so we can talk 
them over.” 


167 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“I hardly know where to begin,” said 
Ralph, “there are so many.” 

“We’ll leave that toyou, Ralph,” said Tom, 
“but try so far as possible to describe those 
that seem to resemble one another.” 

“Very well,” replied Ralph. “The curi- 
ous thing about them is that in nearly all 
cases no actual lightning flashes were seen 
to strike the objects.” 

“Never mind that,” said Tom; “go 
ahead.” 

“I’ll begin with flashes that occurred 
outside a building. Although no dis- 
charges were seen in the building, yet 
the gilding in the frames of large 
glass mirrors in some of the rooms 
became so heated that the gold was volatil- 
ized and afterwards deposited as a metallic 
film or coating on the surface of the glass. 
Besides this, the discharge heated the silver 
amalgam on the back of the glass, so that it 
produced curious changes in its appearance. ’ ’ 

“I don’t see any trouble there, Ralph,” 
said Rick. ‘ ‘ Since lightning bolts often fuse 
the heavy masses of metal they strike, there 
should be no difficulty in understanding how 
they might melt the gilding on a frame, or 
the amalgam on the back of a mirror.” 

168 


AS DETECTIVES 


“But the trouble,” responded Ralph, “is 
that all this occurred without anything hap- 
pening to the wood or the putty of the frame, 
or to the glass in the mirror. I should think 
the bolts would have left some marks on the 
place where they entered the gilding and 
where they left it. But no such marks were 
visible. Can you think of any explanation, 
Tom, as to how this might have been done?” 

“I think I can explain it, Ralph,” said 
Tom; “but, if you don’t mind, let’s have 
any other cases that are somewhat like this.” 

“Well, here’s a similar case,” replied 
Ralph. “It is about what a lightning flash 
did in a certain ball-room in Naples, Italy, 
during a thunder-storm. A ball was being 
held, with about five hundred guests present. 
No flashes were seen inside the building, yet 
immediately after the flashes outside, the 
gilding on the cornices, curtain poles, couches, 
and picture frames was heated so as to be 
volatilized, and the gold vapor descended in 
a shower on the people in the room.” 

“What’s the trouble there, Ralph?” in- 
quired Tom. 

“The trouble is,” said Ralph, “that it 
seems incredible that lightning flashes 
could enter a room where there were so 
169 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


many guests, and not only melt, but volatil- 
ize, the gilding on different objects, and de- 
posit the chilled vapor afterwards on the 
floor and on the people, without either killing 
any one or ripping up any of the things 
struck. Can you explain that?” 

“I think so,” said Tom, smiling. “You’re 
worrying too much about assumed flashes. 
But go on, please. If you have any similar 
cases, trot them out, and we’ll talk about 
them all together.” 

“You’re certainly a hard fellow to sur- 
prise, Tom,” said Ralph. “However, I think 
what I am now about to say will get you. 
What would you say to a lightning flash melt- 
ing the steel blade of a sword while inside 
its scabbard and while worn by an officer, 
yet in no way injuring the man, and leaving 
nothing to show where the lightning entered 
and where it left?” 

“How do they know the blade of the sword 
was melted?” inquired Rick, laughing; for, 
like Tom, he felt sure he now understood 
how the curious effect was produced. 

“They found the blade in the bottom of the 
scabbard, melted into a lump,” replied 
Ralph. 

“Any other stories, Ralph?” asked Tom. 

170 


AS DETECTIVES 


‘ ‘ There were several instances given,’ ’ re- 
plied Ralph , 4 ‘ where money carried in a purse 
in the pocket was found melted by the dis- 
charge, without any other injury to the purse 
than the charring due to the molten metal. 
Besides these, keys carried on key rings in 
the pocket have been partially melted, and 
so in several cases were the gold cases and 
the gold chains of watches. I remember other 
instances, but now I’d like you to explain 
these if you can. But I don’t see how it 
is possible to do so.” 

“Do you understand them, Rick?” Tom 
wanted to know. 

“Of course,” said Rick. “There is no 
reason why Ralph should have been sur- 
prised, if he had only done the thinking he 
generally does before asking questions.” 

“What do you think the explanation is?” 
asked Tom. “Why do you think that Ralph 
would have understood if he had done a little 
thinking?” 

“Because you talked about this very thing 
when you told us of the wonderful discovery 
Faraday made as to how electricity can he 
produced from magnetism, ’ ’ said Rick. 4 ‘ Be- 
sides,” he added, “we actually showed Ralph 
the production of electricity from magnetism, 
171 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


in the operation of our induction coil. I 
thought, Ralph , 1 ’ Rick continued, with a 
laugh, “that we had so shaken that idea into 
your head, by the discharge, that you would 
never forget it.” 

“I remember the shaking,” said Ralph, 
“but I guess you must have shaken it out 
again if it ever got in. I fear I am getting 
stupid as I grow older,” he continued. 
“There were certainly no lightning flashes 
in the case of the induction coil.” 

“Let me explain to you,” said Tom. “Of 
courseyou know Faraday discovered that elec- 
tricity can be produced from magnetism only 
when the magnetism suddenly changes its 
direction. That is the reason an automatic 
circuit breaker is employed in an induction 
coil suddenly to cut-out and cut-in the current 
from the voltaic battery. The more rapidly 
this is done — that is, the greater number of 
times the battery current flows and ceases to 
flow in a given time — the greater the amount 
of electricity produced. 

“I’m sure you also know,” continued Tom, 
“that the discharge of a lightning flash, like 
that of a Leyden jar, is oscillatory. The 
lightning is not drained from the cloud to 
the earth in a single flow. It oscillates, or 

172 


AS DETECTIVES 


changes its direction, with great rapidity. 
Now, these very rapid changes in the direc- 
tion of the lightning flashes produce expand- 
ing and contracting magnetism, or magnetic 
waves that move in all directions 1 about as 
fast as light does.” 

“ Thank you, Tom,” cried Ralph. “I see 
it all now. You needn’t go on any further.” 

“What do you think you see?” enquired 
Tom, much pleased with his friend’s 
quickness. 

“It is not the lightning discharges at all 
that heat and vaporize the gilding on differ- 
ent objects, or melt coins in the pockets.” 

“Then what is it?” 

“The magnetism produced by the electric 
currents in the lightning discharges as they 
surge to and fro in the air. Magnetism, as 
you have shown me, can pass readily through 
a human body, or through such non-con- 
ductors as stone, glass, or clothes, wi thoutpro- 
ducing any effect on them. But if it attempts 
to pass through metallic objects, or conduct- 
ors, it sets up electro-motive forces in them 
in one direction as they pour into the con- 
ductors, and in the opposite direction, as 
they pour out from them. It is these electro- 
motive forces that produce the currents which 

173 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


do such things as melt the gilding, the sword- 
blade, the watch chain, or the money in the 
purse. I won’t ask you whether I am right, 
Tom,” said Ralph, “because I know I am. 
It’s so very simple.” 

“Good boy!” exclaimed Tom. “I’m not 
sorry I gave you a half- holiday. ’ ’ 


AS DETECTIVES 


XIV 

THE ELECTRIC DISROREMENT OF 
RICK 

After Ralph had explained how the melting 
of metallic subjects is not caused directly by 
electric flashes, but by electricity produced by 
the rapid surges of the magnetism they set 
up, the boys were silent for awhile, watching 
the coming storm. 

‘ ‘There is no reason for our hurrying 
away,” said Tom. 4 ‘That storm is nearly an 
hour off. Let’s sit awhile and keep on 
talking. ’ ’ 

“I’m willing,” said Ralph, “even if we 
get wet.” 

“What seems to be so odd about the effects 
produced by lightning flashes,” remarked 
Rick, “is the unexpected way in which they 
act. Sometimes their destructive effects are 
so marked that large objects are broken into 
small pieces, and often when they strike 
people they not only kill them, but even burn 
them almost to cinders. At other times they 
kill people without leaving any marks. They 
have been known to kill a single person in 

175 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


a big crowd, entirely passing by others who 
were almost touching the victim. However,’ ’ 
he added, “most of these tricks can be ex- 
plained, as we have just seen. It is the elec- 
tro-magnetic waves and not the electric dis- 
charges that do the work.” 

“Is it not in this way that the electro- 
magnetic waves employed in wireless teleg- 
raphy carry messages across any space 
which magnetism can pass?” inquired Ralph. 

“That’s right,” replied Tom. “But I 
think you hinted that there were other curi- 
ous instances in the articles you read of 
effects produced by electric discharges. Let 
us hear them, please, and we’ll see if they 
also can’t be explained.” 

“They are odd enough,” replied Ralph. 
“What would you say to an electric discharge 
that struck a person with sufficient force to 
tear off his clothes, even to rip up his under- 
clothes and stockings; neatly pick the pegs 
out of his shoes, to rip open the sewing, and 
then carry all the garments away for a con- 
siderable distance, and yet not at all to in- 
jure the person, or leave any other marks 
of its presence? Can that be explained?” 

“That certainly looks like a corker,” said 
Rick, laughing, “but I think Tom is able to 
handle it.” 


176 


AS DETECTIVES 


“Pm not sure,” said Tom, “as to the exact 
explanation of electric disrobement, as this 
curious manner in which electricity is able 
to take off one’s clothing is named.” 

“How do you account for it, Tom?” asked 
Ralph eagerly. 

“So far as I have been able to discover 
from reading,” explained Tom, “electricity 
has nothing whatever to do with the direct 
removal of the clothing. It merely produces, 
somewhere in the neighborhood of the per- 
son, so high a vacuum that the air between 
the person’s body and his clothes rushes out 
explosively and thus rips off his clothes, his 
shoes, and everything upon him.” 

“I thought, Tom,” Ralph said, “that in 
order to permit such an action to occur, the 
space inside the clothing had to be cut off 
from that outside it. Now, in most cases, 
especially in summer clothing, a free circula- 
tion of air is purposely permitted between the 
clothing and the skin. How, then, can the 
clothing be ripped off ? ” 

“Because the explosion is so quick,” re- 
plied Tom. “I imagine that in the case of 
a vessel open at the top, like a tumbler, it 
would be quick enough to cause the air in- 
side, as it endeavored rapidly to expand, to 
12 177 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


burst the tumbler, since in escaping it would 
not only prevent the atmosphere from enter- 
ing but would even cause it to act as a 
stopper .’ 9 

The above conversation had so interested 
the boys that they had failed to note the 
approach of the coming thunder-storm. 
Ominous* rumblings were heard, and light- 
ning flashes, without rain, came nearer and 
nearer. At last a few flashes occurred in 
which the thunder was heard almost im- 
mediately after the flash. 

“We had better get from under this tree,” 
said Tom. “You and I have reason to know, ’ ’ 
he added, turning to Rick, “that a tree is 
a dangerous refuge in a thunder-storm.” 
Tom referred to the case mentioned in ‘ ‘ The 
Boy Electrician,” when he and Rick had 
nearly been killed by a discharge that split 
into fragments a tree under which they had 
been lying. 

The boys were hurrying away and making 
for the driveway that ran between the foot 
of the hill and the river. They were several 
hundred feet from the foot of the hill when 
Rick said: 


178 


AS DETECTIVES 


“Wait for me a moment, please. I have 
left my cuffs under the tree.” 

The boys offered to go with him, hut Kick 
declined, and was off on a run. They saw him 
reach the tree, pick up something from the 
ground, and start towards them on a fast 
run. At that moment there was a terrific 
flash, followed almost instantaneously by 
thunder. To their horror, they saw Rick 
fall to the ground. 

“Did you see Rick fall, Ralph,” cried 
Tom, “I fear he has been killed!” 

Both boys started on a run to their friend’s 
assistance. 

On reaching Rick, they were greatly sur- 
prised to see him lying on the ground, en- 
tirely naked. All his clothes, even his shoes 
and stockings, had been removed. 

“Rick! Rick!” cried Tom, with tears in 
his eyes. “If you can speak, pray do so.” 

There was no reply, and Tom believed that 
Rick was dead. 

“Oh, my dear old chum!” moaned Tom. 
‘ ‘ To think that you should suddenly be killed 
in this way. I would willingly take your 
place.” 

But Ralph, who had stopped to examine 
the body, now said : 


179 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“Though apparently severely injured, Rick 
is not dead, Tom. I can feel his pulse beat- 
ing. It is not as strong as it might be,” he 
added, “but still it is beating.” 

“Thank God for that!” exclaimed Tom. 
And again cried to his prostrate friend, 
“Rick, Rick, if you can hear me, give some 
sign, if it is only to move your hand.” 

But Rick lay still. 

“Don’t be discouraged,” said Ralph, 
anxious to relieve the anxiety of his friend, 
who was now crying, a thing Ralph had never 
before seen Tom do. “The heart-beats are 
growing stronger. I think he will open his 
eyes soon.” 

Ralph’s prediction soon came true; for, 
opening his eyes, Rick gave his friends a 
dazed, surprised look, then recognizing Tom, 
he said: 

“Who took my clothes off, Tom?” 

“It was that lightning flash, Rick,” replied 
Tom. 

“What lightning flash are you talking 
about?” inquired Rick. “I don’t remember 
any lightning flash. But I say, boys, I feel 
chilly. See if you can find my clothes.” 

“In the meantime, Rick,” said Ralph, “put 
my coat on. It will at least cover part of 
your body.” 


180 


AS DETECTIVES 


“Stay with him, Ralph,’’ said Tom, “while 
I look for his clothes.” 

It was some time before Tom discovered 
them; for they had been scattered over an 
irregular path extending up the hill, as if 
the heaviest had been dropped first and the 
lightest afterwards. Tom first found the 
shoes, or at least the soles and the different 
parts of the uppers, which had been separated 
from one another ; then he found the coat and 
trousers, and finally the stockings and other 
garments. When Tom returned with them, 
he found Rick almost entirely recovered. 

4 4 Thank you, Tom, ’ ’ he said. 4 4 Please help 
me get my things on.” 

“I’m afraid, you can’t put them on,” said 
Tom. “They are badly torn.” 

“How can I get home, Tom'?” inquired 
Rick. 4 4 1 can ’t go through the Park with only 
a coat on. I’ll be arrested sure.” 

4 4 I’ll see what I can do towards mending 
them, Rick,” said Tom, who always carried 
a sewing-case in his pocket. “I can at least 
sew them, and thus make them hold together 
for awhile. Hello!” he added, in surprise, 
as he took out his sewing-case. 4 4 All the 
needles have been melted. I wonder whether 
the same thing has happened to the money 
181 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


in my purse. Yes,” he continued; “it has 
all been melted, but my watch does not seem 
to have been hurt.” 

“Let us try to put them on as they are,” 
said Rick, beginning with the undershirt and 
the drawers. He succeeded — in putting on 
the undershirt in three pieces — that is, the 
two sleeves and the body — but they had been 
so ripped and torn that he found it almost 
impossible to keep them in place. He was 
more successful with his trousers, although 
these were completely ripped up the leg. 

“Hello!” he ejaculated, pulling his purse 
from one of the pockets. “The magnetism 
has been at work here also” — showing 
several of the coins melted. 

“And here too,” said Tom, handing him 
his vest, or at least a part of the vest, in 
which the gold watch and chain had been 
badly damaged by the discharge. 

“I think you’ll find similar changes, 
Ralph,” said Tom. “Look and 'see.” 

The examination proved that a similar, 
though less pronounced, effect had been pro- 
duced on the gold links in Ralph’s cuffs, and 
in a gold watch charm that he carried on his 
watch chain. Some money in his purse also 
was found to have been melted. 

182 





AS DETECTIVES 


“My clothes are so useless that I will take 
them off. See what you can do towards 
covering me, please. ’ ’ 

‘ 1 Put on my drawers, ’ ’ said Tom. i 1 They’ll 
keep your legs warm.” 

“I can spare you my undershirt,” added 
Ralph, taking it off. “This will cover your 
body. Now put on my coat again.” 

They gathered up the remnants of Rick’s 
clothing and walked towards the driveway. 

“You’re in luck, Rick,” Tom sang out. 
“Here comes Parsons, driving one of your 
father’s automobiles.” 

“Is there any one in the car with him?” 
inquired Rick. 

“No; fortunately, Parsons is all alone,” 
replied Tom. 

The chauffeur was greatly surprised to see 
Rick in his scanty clothing. 

“Met with an accident, Mr. Rick?” he 
asked. 

“Yes, Parsons; I was knocked down by a 
lightning bolt.” 

As they neared Rick’s house, Tom said: 

“I’ll run ahead, Rick, and tell your folks 
what has happened.” 

“That is not necessary, Mr. Tom,” said 

183 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


Parsons. “I left Mr. and Mrs. Justice in 
Germantown, where they are taking dinner 
with a friend. I am to call for them this 
evening.” 

‘ ‘ V ery well, then, ’ ’ said Rick. ‘ 6 Go directly 
to the house. ’ ’ 

But Rick did not succeed in getting in un- 
observed. As he was ascending the steps, an 
automobile, driven by his doctor, passed. 
Noting Rick’s peculiar attire, the gentleman 
stopped his automobile, and, running up the 
steps, said: 

‘ 1 Hello, young man! Who has been treat- 
ing you so roughly? Was it another auto- 
mobile, or did some fellow tackle you on 
the ball field?” 

‘ ‘ Neither,” said Rick, laughing. “I had 
my clothes torn off by a lightning flash.” 

“As long as I’m here,” said the doctor, 
“I’ll stop and look you over. You may have 
been more hurt than you think.” 

“I’ll have to ring,” said Rick, “my key has 
been so fused by the flash that I cannot get 
it into the keyhole.” 

“We’ll go straight up to your room, 
Richard. Come with us,” he said to the 
other boys. 1 1 Richard won ’t mind your being 
184 


AS DETECTIVES 


present. It will save time, if I wish to ask 
some questions. 

“This is a remarkable case,” the doctor 
remarked, after thoroughly examining the 
lad. “So far as I can see, you are not in 
the least injured. There are no marks what- 
ever on your body, except on the upper part 
of your right leg, where there is a slight 
burn. ’ ’ 

“That,” said Rick, “is where the money 
in my purse was fused by the effects of the 
electric discharge. There’s no reason why 
I should stay in bed, is there doctor? I 
remember you sent me to bed when I was 
knocked down by a trolley-car . 9 ’ 

“No,” was the reply. “There we had 
evidences of shock; here such evidences are 
entirely absent.” 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


XV 

TOM’S WIRELESS TELEGRAPHIC 
STATION 

“Our wireless is working all right, Rick!” 
cried Tom. “I have picked up ‘G. G.,’ Mr. 
Gordon’s station letters. When he learned we 
would have our wireless apparatus in opera- 
tion to-day, he promised to send me his sta- 
tion letters about this time. I have picked 
them up, and am ready to begin talking.” 

Tom was in his laboratory, seated before 
the wireless apparatus, with his right hand 
on a Morse telegraphic key, and two tele- 
phones fastened to his ears. Besides Rick 
and Ralph, Abe Levy was present. Abe had 
a holiday, and, hearing that Tom expected 
to begin using his wireless apparatus, the 
Jewish lad had concluded to spend a part 
of the time with his friends. 

When Tom had spoken as above, both Rick 
and Ralph said : 

“Tell us what you receive, Tom. We can 
tell what you are sending, from the clicking 
of the key.” 

“Please tell be both what you sedd add 
186 


AS DETECTIVES 


receive, Tob,” said Abe; “for, as you kdow, 
I caddot tell adythitg frob the workidg of 
the key.” 

“All right,’ ’ said Tom. “I am sending, 
4 Is that y(ou, Mr. Cordon!’ Mr. Gordon 
has replied, ‘Congratulations, Tom. Your 
signals are all right. Have you any diffi- 
culty in getting me?’ ” 

Tom continued to operate the key, trans- 
lating the messages as he did so. 

“I had some trouble at first,” clicked off 
Tom, in reply to Mr. Gordon’s inquiry; “but 
as soon as I got my apparatus tuned to 
yours, I got your signals all right.” 

“Are your chums with you?” signalled 
Mr. Gordon. 

“Yes, sir,” was the reply; “both Rick and 
Ralph are here. Wait a moment — I’ll ask 
them to speak with you. They are both 
anxious to see how our apparatus works. . . 
Rick,” he said, “take the telephone head- 
gear and the key. Mr. Gordon wants to 
speak with you.” 

“How do you get me, Mr. Gordon?” 
signalled Rick. 

“All right, my lad, ” was the reply. “Your 
apparatus is working splendidly.” 

“It certainly is,” said Rick; “and Tom, 
187 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


Ralph, and I, wish again to thank you for the 
help you have given us in building it.” 

“It was not so hard to build when you 
once got at it, was it, Rick?” came the reply. 

“It was not, sir,” said Rick, “after you 
got through explaining, and especially as you 
came every now and then to the laboratory 
while we were building it, either to point out 
mistakes, or to show how we could make it 
work better.” 

After Rick had talked with Mr. Gordon 
a few moments, this message came : 

“Tom told me that Ralph is there. Has 
he learned to send and receive yet?” 

“Yes, sir,” replied Rick. “As soon as 
Ralph knew we expected to set up a wireless 
apparatus, he began learning to send and 
receive on our Morse telegraphic instrument. 
He can now do both. . . Ralph,” he said, 
“take the key and the telephone gear, and 
talk with Mr. Gordon.” 

It should be remembered that Tom’s wire- 
less apparatus was of a very simple type and 
did not contain many things that are to be 
found in the elaborate apparatus of to-day. 
If, therefore, in this description, any steps 
are omitted, or any piece of mechanism is 
188 


AS DETECTIVES 


used first by one operator and then by 
another, it is because Tom’s apparatus con- 
tained the least number of parts necessary 
to permit communication with another 
station. 

During the sending and the receiving of 
the signals, Abe was standing close by the 
receiving apparatus. 

“How far is the laboratory, Tob, frob Mr. 
Gordod’s statiod ? ’ ’ he inquired. 

“About twenty miles,” replied Tom. “It 
is a station Mr. Gordon built on his country 
place on the main line of the Pennsylvania 
Railroad . 9 9 

“It is certainly odd, Tob,” said Abe, “to 
thidk what wodderful thidgs cad be dode with 
the few thidgs you are usidg. I dod’t udder- 
stadd how it cad be possible to talk with a 
persod twedty biles away, with dothindg else 
thad I cad see you usidg.” 

“With nothing else!” exclaimed Tom. 
“Nothing except wires called aerial wires, 
extending up into the air above the roof of 
the laboratory, and also metallic plates that 
are buried in the earth in our yard and con- 
nected with the drain and water pipes of the 
building.” 

“I saw wires stidkidg up idto the air whed 
189 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


I cabe id. I ibagided they were coddected 
with your wireless apparatus, so I looked at 
tbeb carefully. Wbat was it you called 
theb?” 

* ‘ Aerial wires, ’ ’ said Tom. ‘ i The one con- 
nected with this part of the apparatus” — 
pointing to the induction coil — “is known as 
the sending aerial. It is the air wire that 
sends the waves which carry the messages 
to Mr. Gordon’s station. The other is known 
as the receiving aerial. It has another name, 
if you care to hear it.” 

“Of course I wadt to hear it,” replied Abe- 

“It is called the antennae.” 

“I have heard of the adteddae of crabs — 
they are the thidgs the crab feels with. Add 
I’ve heard of the adteddae of idsects,” Abe 
added, “but I didd’t kdow they had adteddae 
in electricity.” 

“Why, Abe,” said Rick, “the antennae of 
a wireless outfit is the part that feels among 
the waves sent from different stations as they 
pass our station, picks them ojat, and, if they’re 
the ones wanted, sends them down the wires 
to us.” 

“Oh, I udderstadd,” said Abe. “The 
adteddae are the feelers. Thed why dod’t 
you call theb feelers, add dot adteddae? But 

190 


AS DETECTIVES 


that’s just the way with yon scientific fel- 
lows,” he complained. ‘ ‘All the tibe makidg 
up dew words, whed words we already have 
would do just as well.” 

“I think you will find the word ‘antennae’ 
much better than ‘feelers,’ Abe,” said Ralph, 
‘ ‘ since there are other parts of the apparatus 
that act as feelers; such, for example, as 
the head telephones, that help us to feel the 
messages that have been received.” 

“I take it back, Rick,” said Abe. “I sup- 
pose, Tob,” he added, “it would dot be pos- 
sible for a fellow like be, who kdows so little 
about electricity, to udderstadd how the 
apparatus you have bade works. I cad’t 
begid to see how it is possible with what you 
are usidg to talk with a mad twedty biles 
away. Yes, add for the batter of that, eved 
to talk thousadds of biles across the ocead 
or across the ladd. It would be possible to 
talk that far, would it dot, Tob,” he said, 
“with the sabe apparatus?” 

“With practically the same apparatus,” 
replied Tom. “But in that case it would be 
necessary to put more energy into the waves. 
This induction coil” — pointing to the coil he 
and Rick had made, shocks from which had 
been felt by both Abe and Sandy — “ would 

191 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


be too small, and the current supplied from 
this voltaic battery would be too weak to 
produce waves that would be able to affect 
apparatus so far off. Besides,” he added, 
“the sending and receiving aerials both here 
and at the receiving station would have to be 
much bigger and higher to be employed for 
such distances.’ ’ 

“I suppose it’s all plaid to you fellows, 
but I cad’t udderstadd how the thidg works. 
But you haved’t adswered by questiod. It 
would dot be possible for you to explaid to 
a fellow like be just how it works, would it? ” 

“I’m not so certain of that, Abe,” replied 
Tom. “I think it would be quite possible 
for a bright fellow like you to understand 
how these things work. Suppose,” he said, 
turning to Rick and Ralph, “you help me 
try to make Abe understand the matter. You 
begin, Abe, by asking questions; or, better 
still, tell me just how much you understand 
of what you can see going on. ’ ’ 

“I udderstadd,” said Abe, “that whed you 
work the key you do sobethidg to the hubbidg 
sparks that thidg bakes” — pointing to the in- 
duction coil. “That sobethidg flies up that 
wire coddected to the sedding wire above the 
roof of the laboratory, and throws out waves 

192 


AS DETECTIVES 


that rush off like bad id all directiods. These 
are grabbed by the adteddae, or feelers, of 
the other statiod, so that the mad kdows what 
you sedd. Thed I suppose the mad there 
works a key sedding what he tells to you, 
and that these waves are grabbed by the 
adteddae, at your statiod, which lets them 
fly id your ears add thus carry the bessage. ’ ’ 

The boys shouted in glee at Abe’s 
explanation. 

“I cannot say,” remarked Tom, “that 
your explanation is scientifically accurate; 
but it ’s not bad. Suppose I state it in more 
scientific language. 

“When the telegraphic key,” he continued, 
“is moved so as to open and 1 close the circuit 
at the spark coil, the waves that are sent 
out from the sending aerial have makes and 
brakes corresponding with the letters pro- 
duced by the key. Under the influence of 
these discharges, waves, called electro-mag- 
netic waves — something like the ripples set 
up in the surface of a pool of water when a 
stone is dropped in it — are sent out in 
all directions at right angles to the 
wires of the aerial. These waves, speed- 
ing outwards in all directions, pass through 
the receiving antennae of different stations 

13 193 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


in the neighborhood. They consist of rapid 
alternations or oscillations. But it is only 
when the rate at which they surge to and fro 
at any station is the same as that of the 
apparatus connected with the receiving 
antennae of that station that they can pro- 
duce effects in the telephones of people 
listening. ’ ’ 

“I udderstand that, Tob,” replied Abe, 
“but I cad’t see how the aerial wires cad 
sedd add receive sigdals.” 

“And yet, Abe,” said Rick, “I imagine 
you understand this as well as you do many 
things that are much commoner .’ 9 

“What do you bead by that, Rickf” in- 
quired Abe. 

“You have no trouble in hearing what I 
am saying to you, have you?” asked Rick. 

“Of course I have do trouble,” replied 
Abe. 

“And yet,” said Rick, “while I am talk- 
ing, you don’t know how the sound waves 
are produced in the air around my mouth, 
nor how these waves, that also speed out- 
ward in all directions, can fall on your 
antennae — that is, your ears — and enable you 
to hear what I say.” 

“I dever thought of by ears beidg feelers/’ 

194 


AS DETECTIVES 


said Abe. “I dod’t kdow how soudd waves 
are forbed whed you speak, or how I hear 
whed such soudd waves fall od the ear. ’ ’ 

“Of course they work that way,” replied 
Rick. “It is only natural that they should. 
Moreover, they work thus whether you 
understand them or not, because they were 
built that way.” 

“I dod’t thidk that’s buch of ad ex- 
pladatiod, Rick,” said Abe. 

“In the same way,” continued Rick, with- 
out noticing his friend’s objection, “the light 
waves thrown oft from the different parts 
of the apparatus you are looking at also move 
off in all directions, and, entering your eyes, 
produce images of what you see. ’ ’ 

“Cad’t you bake it clearer, ToM” said 
Abe. 

“I’ll do my best,” said Tom. “Tell me 
just what you want to know.” 

“I wadt to kdow how the waves that go out 
frob the sedding aerial are forbed. Is that 
a hard edough questiod for you?” he 
continued. 

“It’s hard enough, Abe,” said Tom, “but 
not too hard for you to understand if you 
get at it right. The electricity producing the 
bright flashes or discharges you see in the 

195 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


spark gap oscillate, or rush to and fro, like 
the discharges of a Leyden jar. The plates 
between the spark gap and the air and 
ground wires connected with them, like the 
opposite coatings of a Leyden jar, are 
charged with positive and negative electricity. 
The air between them is a non-conductor, so 
that the discharge cannot pass through it. 
If, however, the amount of the charge in- 
creases sufficiently, the air space is cracked 
or broken, and the positive and negative 
electricities rush through the air gap, heating 
the particles of air, and in that way making 
the air a good conductor, so that a very 
powerful current of electricity flows momen- 
tarily through the spark gap.” 

“Add what becobes of those curredts?” 
inquired Abe. 

“They flow through the wires connected 
with the ground in the sending antennae. 
These, like all conductors carrying currents, 
have circular lines of magnetic force set up 
around them. In this way electro-magnetic 
waves, set up by the sending aerial, move 
through space in all directions. If they 
strike against the receiving antennae of 
another station, no matter where situated, they 
will produce electro-motive forces and cur- 
196 


AS DETECTIVES 


rents in these wires. These currents, how- 
ever, are very feeble, and will only be able 
to operate the telephone or other receivers 
that may be employed, so as to transmit the 
message when accurately tuned.’ ’ 

“ That’s a capital explanation, Tom,” 
said Rick. “I never heard the matter so 
clearly explained before.” 

“Eved I cad udderstadd it,” said Abe. 
“But I dod’t udderstadd why you have so 
bady differedt pieces of apparatus between 
the receividg adteddae add the telephodes.” 

In a book of this character, it is not 
possible to explain fully the construction and 
operation of the different pieces of ap- 
paratus that areconnected with a modern wire- 
less sending and receiving station. It is 
enough to say that Tom explained generally 
that for the oscillatory currents produced 
in the antennae at the receiving station to 
affect the telephone or other apparatus, the 
surgings or oscillations must be exactly the 
same as those produced by the transmitting 
aerial. 

Tom further explained to Abe that the 
length and dimensions of the oscillations de- 
pend on the dimensions of the aerial wires, 
197 




THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 

as well as on certain electrical properties 
they possess, such as inductance, capacity, 
and resistance; that in order to tune the 
antennae of the receiving station to the aerial 
of the transmitting station, it is necessary 
to employ the different pieces of mechanism 
he saw on the receiving side, so that this 
apparatus could have the value of its in- 
ductance, capacity, etc., varied until the num- 
ber of oscillations of the receiving antennae 
are exactly the same as those of the trans- 
mitting antennae. The distance through 
which it is possible to transmit intelligence 
by means of the wireless apparatus depends 
not only upon the amount of energy or 
power put into the electro-magnetic waves, 
but also upon the height of the sending and 
receiving aerials, as well as on the closeness 
of the tuning of the oscillations of the two 
systems with each other. He also explained 
that often the same aerial was employed 
although of course at different times for 
both receiving and sending messages. 

“Now, Abe,” said Rick, when Tom was 
through, “I suppose you understand all 
about it.” 

“Dot all, Rick,” replied Abe; “but prob- 
ably bore thad you thidk.” 

198 


AS DETECTIVES 


Mr. Gordon came the next day, as he had 
promised, and suggested a few slight changes 
both in the apparatus, and in its adjustment, 
that greatly improved its operation. 

It may be said here that Tom, Rick, and 
Ralph spent much of their spare time in 
sending and receiving wireless messages, not 
only with Mr. Gordon’s station, but also with 
a number of wireless stations that had been 
erected in his neighborhood and in different 
parts of Philadelphia and the vicinity. 

As will be shown in subsequent chapters, 
this experience was put to good use by Rick 
in sending Tom information at a very critical 
time. 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


XVI 

THE BURGLARY OF THE COUNTRY 
HOUSE 

“Lieutenant Harkenson wants to see us,” 
said Tom to Rick and Ralph one morning as 
he came into the laboratory. “I received a 
message from him this morning while at 
breakfast. ’ ’ 

“Does he name any time, Tom?” inquired 
Ralph, 4 4 or does he leave it to us f ” 

“He says,” replied Tom — “but I’ll read 
you his note and let you judge. It is not 
addressed to me except on the envelope, and 
is only signed ‘H.’ ” 

Tom then read the note : 

“Call on me as soon as possible, with your two chums.” 

“H” 

“We had better go at once, Tom,” said 
Ralph. 

“Sure,” was the reply. 

“I’m glad he has asked us to come, Tom,” 
said Ralph. “I think we should tell him all 
about that fellow who called the other day 
at the laboratory and pretended he wanted 
to sell us books.” 


200 


AS DETECTIVES 


“I don’t like what you have told me about 
that fellow,” said the Lieutenant, when the 
boys had briefly related what had occurred. 
4 4 He had some other motive than selling 
books. Don ’t you agree with me, Sergeant f 9 9 
he inquired of his assistant, whom he had 
called into the room as soon as the boys had 
come. 

4 4 I certainly do , 9 9 was the reply. 4 4 1 think 
the fellow came to the laboratory to spy out 
the place and learn something about the 
lads.” 

4 4 What do you think, Tom?” inquired the 
Lieutenant. 

44 I too believe he called to find out about 
the laboratory and to see what was in it,” 
replied Tom. 

4 4 And what do you think?” the Lieutenant 
asked Ralph. 

44 I agree with Tom,” was the reply. 

4 4 And you?” inquired the Lieutenant of 
Rick. 

44 I agree also,” was the reply, 4 4 but I go 
further: I believe the fellow came to see if 
there were any signs of the explosion of the 
infernal machine, and, since the only way he 
could know that there had been an infernal 
machine was through the red-headed man, I 
201 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


believe he had been sent by this man we saw 
with that package under his arm walking in 
the direction of Tom’s laboratory.” 

“ Hello!” said the Lieutenant, chuckling. 
“If you can show good reasons for your be- 
lief, it may help in an important case that 
has been placed in my hands — the burglary 
of a house in one of the suburbs. It was 
about this, ’ ’ continued the Lieutenant, * ‘ that 
I asked you three lads to call on me.” 

“Was the burglary successful, Lieu- 
tenant?” inquired Tom. “Have you any 
clues?” 

“It was successful all right,” replied the 
Lieutenant. “They got away with a rich 
swag, and left no traces behind. But one 
thing at a time. I’ll tell you about this as 
soon as Hick tells me just why he thinks the 
fellow who visited your laboratory was sent 
by the red-headed man. Now,” he added, 
turning to Rick, “tell me about it. But first 
give me a description of the man.” 

“He was well dressed and spoke fairly 
well,” said Rick, “but he seemed more 
anxious to examine things in the laboratory 
and to ask questions than to sell books, so 
we began to suspect him. Tom tried to 
bounce him by telling him that if he wished 
202 


AS DETECTIVES 


to buy books, or other things, he would prefer 
to deal with the big stores, since then he 
would know from whom he was buying. One 
would think this would have made him leave 
at once, but not so with our visitor. He com- 
menced talking about electricity, and asked us 
what we were building. We told him it was 
a wireless telegraphic apparatus.’ ’ 

This information greatly interested the 
Lieutenant, who said: 

“Are you chaps building a wireless? 
Let me know if you get it working and 
establish a station. It might be that you can 
help me with it. But go on,” he continued 
to Rick; “what did the fellow do then?” 

“By this time,” said Rick, “I got the 
idea that he was there not only to examine 
our laboratory, but especially to see if there 
were any signs of a recent explosion. Of 
course I remembered the infernal machine, 
and I wondered whether he had not been 
sent by the red-headed man. Then he began 
to examine the chemicals on the shelves. It 
happened that in the part of the laboratory 
near the shelf on which the chemicals are 
placed, Tom and I had had an explosion with 
a hydrogen gas bottle, from a mixture of air 
and hydrogen in the bottle. 

203 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


44 ‘I see you have had a bad explosion here/ 
he remarked. 

4 4 1 explained to him how the explosion had 
occurred. Evidently this convinced him that 
it was not what he was looking for, so he 
walked to the door leading from the lab- 
oratory to the room below, and, putting his 
hand on the handle, said : 

44 4 1 suppose you don’t object to my open- 
ing this door?’ 

44 I told him that we did. It was then,” 
went on Rick, laughing, 4 4 that something 
happened to the man that greatly surprised 
him. As you may remember, Tom and I had 
constructed a number of Leyden- jar batteries. 
One of these, in the form of a large book, 
was lying on a table near the door. Pre- 
tending to be interested in it, the man re- 
marked that he would like to read the book, 
and asked if he might open it. I replied : 

4 4 4 You ’re not safe in touching anything in 
this room. There are many queer things 
here, so that if you don’t know just how to 
handle them they might blow up and kill you. ’ 

44 He was so surprised that he forgot him- 
self, and inquired : 

4 4 4 Have you such things in this room?’ 

4 4 4 What do you mean by such things?’ I 
inquired. 


204 


AS DETECTIVES 


“ ‘Bombs and infernal machines . 9 99 

“Ah!” exclaimed the Lieutenant, now 
chuckling more than ever. ‘ ‘ He gave himself 
away then, didn’t he, Sergeant? What did 
you tell him, my lad, when he said that?” 

“I told him we had not ; that it was he and 
not we who were talking about bombs and 
infernal machines. He appeared to be 
greatly provoked with himself, and pretended 
that he believed I was only giving him a bluff 
about the book. To prove this, he said he’d 
open the book on electricity and see what it 
contained. He did so, receiving the dis- 
charge, and was knocked almost unconscious. 
He pretended not to mind it, but said he 
guessed he’d better not touch anything more 
about the room.” 

“Did the man go then?” inquired the Lieu- 
tenant. 

“No,” said Rick. “I led him on as the 
lawyers do when cross-examining witnesses, 
and again spoke about chemical substances 
that might explode if monkeyed with by 
people who did not know how to handle them. 
He again asked if we had things of that kind 
around the laboratory, and, on my asking him 
what kind of things he meant, he again 
replied : 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 

“ i Bombs and infernal machines. ’ ” 

“What do you think of the lad’s story, 
Sergeant V 9 

‘ ‘ He has proved his point, ’ ’ was the reply. 

“That fellow came to see if there were 
any signs of an explosion.” 

“And he had evidently been sent by the 
man who prepared the bomb. ’ ’ 

“That’s what it looks like,” was the reply. 

The Lieutenant was silent for awhile, for 
what he had heard gave him something to 
think about. At last turning to the boys), 
he said: 

‘ ‘ Of course you boys would know the man 
who visited you if you should see him again. ’ ’ 

“I certainly should,” said Tom. 

“And so should I,” Ralph added. 

“Lieutenant,” declared Rick, “I studied 
that fellow’s face so carefully that I would 
recognize him even if he tried to disguise 
himself. ’ ’ 

“Then, my lads,” said the Lieutenant, 
“you can help me in this burglary case I 
was telling you about. ’ ’ 

“Why, Lieutenant,” remarked Tom, 
“there is nothing to connect the man who 
visited us with the burglars, is there?” 

206 


AS DETECTIVES 


“ There is not,” was the response, “but 
there is something to connect them with the 
red-headed man who sent the bomb. Sup- 
pose you boys take a stroll through differ- 
ent parts of the city, and if you happen to 
run across the fellow, try to find out the 
places he visits and bring me word.” 

“But, lieutenant, you promised to tell 
us sometLx about the burglary.” 

“I have nothing much to tell beyond what 
vou already know,” the oScer replied. 
“They goc a go^d han? or fieavy silver plate, 
which by this time has probably gone through 
the melting pot. Some of the spoons and 
forks, napkin rings, salt-cellars, and other 
silver table things have been for many gen- 
erations in the family, and it is not likely that 
they have melted these down, since the 
owners have already offered a reward of five 
thousand dollars for their return, provided 
the thieves are arrested and punished.” 

“Then they will never return them,” said 
Ralph. 

“Don’t be too sure of that,” replied the 
Lieutenant. “The thieves will naturally 
infer that if the people want these things so 
badly, after awhile they will be willing to 
pay for them and ask no questions.” 

207 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


Acting on the Lieutenant’s suggestion, Tom 
and his chums were soon strolling in a por- 
tion of the city where they had seen the living 
skeleton and the big-eared man. 

“There’s the fellow, Tom,” said Rick in 
a low tone, as he saw the man who had visited 
the laboratory disappearing through the 
doorway of th? Aouse where the^ had once 
seen the livr g skeleton enter. 

“You’re right,” said Tom, looking in the 
direction indicated, “that’s the man. Don’t 
let’s stop for he might think we , A - v r a tCimA & 
him,” and he walk-^ -™vcn his chums away 
from the building. “I’d give much,” he 
added, “for a chance to watch that house 
without being noticed. ’ ’ 

“I can fix that, Tom,” said Ralph, and 
then, as two strangers passed them, he said 
in a loud tone : 

“Tom, I noticed some splendid postage 
stamps in the window of that shop over there. 
Won’t you and Rick come and help me pick 
some out? I think there are some I have 
not in my album.” 

Seeing that Tom and Rick had not under- 
stood, Ralph explained: 

“I mean that store over there” — pointing 
to a place directly opposite the house that 
Light-Fingered Sam had entered. 

20S 


AS DETECTIVES 


“Certainly,” said Tom and Rick, who now 
understood Ralph’s plan. 

‘ ‘ I should like to look over the stamps you 
have for sale, sir, 9 ’ Ralph told the proprietor. 

“Certainly,” was the reply. “I have an 
excellent collection here, and will sell them 
cheap . 9 9 

“Bring it to the window, please,” re- 
quested Ralph, “where there is a good 
light. You know there are a good many 
counterfeit stamps offered for sale.” 

“That’s very true,” said the man. “But 
mine are all right. I don’t care how much 
light you have when examining them. ’ ’ 

While Ralph kept the man busy answering 
questions, his two companions kept their eyes 
on the house opposite. 

“Look!” whispered Rick, pressing his 
hand on Tom’s shoulder. 

There was no doubt at all in Tom’s mind 
as to what he saw when he looked. The man 
entering the house was Reddy, the fellow 
whose photograph Rick and Ralph had 
obtained. 

Ralph had also recognized the man, but he 
did not think it safe to stop examining the 
stamps too soon, so he went on making a 
14 209 




THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


selection, and paid two dollars for those he 
decided to take. 

“I have made a good bargain, Tom,” he 
remarked. “The stamps are in good con- 
dition, and some of them are quite rare.” 

“You have been so fortunate, Ralph,” said 
Tom, seeing what an excellent place it would 
be to watch the house again, if so desired, “that 
Rick and I will come with you some other day 
to pick out more stamps.” 

“Yes, come again, ’ ’ put in the man. “ I ex- 
pect to have some new stamps to-morrow. 
I am sure you would like to look at them.” 

When Reddy entered Skinny Joe’s house, 
he found Sam talking with him. Turning 
to Ben, who was also present, Sam said: 

“Here’s Reddy, Ben. Have you brought 
the coin with you! I’ll take my share now.” 

“And sio will I,” remarked Reddy. “I 
asked you to come here so as to make the 
division fair.” 

“I hev the money,” said Ben. “I melted 
the swag down and sold it fer four hundred 
and fifty plunks. Dere, Red, ’ ’ he said, count- 
ing out a number of bills, “are two hundred 
dollars fer ye, and two hundred dollars fer 
ye, Sam, and fifty dollars fer me and the 
fellers wot helped me to melt it and change 
210 


AS DETECTIVES 


it into plunks. Does thet satisfy ye, gents?” 

1 4 I ’m satisfied, ’ ’ said Reddy, in good humor 
at the thought of what two hundred dollars 
would buy for him. 

4 ‘And so am I,” added Sam. “It war a 
good plant, Red. Any time ye want furder 
help, ye kin call on me. ’ ’ 

“And on me, too,” said Joe. 

“Now, my lads,” exclaimed Reddy, “I’m 
flush with all this cash, so come with me to 
Ben’s den, and I’ll set up all the booze you 
can drink. I’ll show you how a gentleman 
spends his coin. ’ ’ 

As they were about to leave the house, 
Sam, who had gone to the window, suddenly 
turned and said : 

“Look at them three chaps coming out of 
thet store across the way, Red! They’re 
the fellers yer lookin’ fer, aren’t they?” 

“Two of them are the boys who took my 
photograph when I was carrying the package 
towards the laboratory,” said Red. “The 
third is the one I saw take it in at the door.” 

“They’re the chaps I seed tryin’ to spot 
me when they pertended to play ball in front 
of my house,” cried Big-Eared Ben. 

“They are the chaps who were with the 
little fellow I gave a half-dollar to,” added 
Skinny Joe. 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


XVII 

GUGLIELMO 

“ We have splendid information for the Lieu- 
tenant,” said Tom to his companions, as they 
walked rapidly away from the stamp store. 

“What we have just seen, Rick,” said 
Ralph, “shows how true were your conclu- 
sions as to the connection between the red- 
headed man and the fellow who visited our 
laboratory.” 

“Let’s go at once to the Lieutenant, Tom,” 
suggested Rick. 

“There’s no use going there now,” said 
Tom. “Don’t you remember that the last 
time we were there the Lieutenant told us 
that for the next two or three days he would 
not be in his office in the morning, since he 
expected to be at the scene of the burglary, 
in an endeavor to obtain clues? If we got 
any information we were to bring it between 
two and half-past two in the afternoon. ’ ’ 

“Then,” said Rick, “let’s go to the 
laboratory.” 


212 


AS DETECTIVES 


They had not been in the laboratory for 
more than a quarter of an hour when Gug- 
lielmo entered. The lad had taken a great 
interest in the construction of the wireless 
apparatus, and since he was a quiet little chap 
and seemed greatly to enjoy seeing them work, 
they had encouraged his visits. He was 
bright, and listened carefully not only to 
Tom’s explanation of the workings of the 
apparatus, but also when the chums were 
talking to one another about it. Guglielmo 
had therefore obtained a fairly clear idea as 
to how it operated. Indeed, this was so 
marked that one day he had greatly surprised 
Tom and his companions by his knowledge. 

“Why, Guglielmo,’ ’ Tom had said, “I be- 
lieve you understand the working of the 
apparatus.” 

“Yes; Guglielmo understand it, Signor 
Tomasso.” 

To the Italian lad, Tom’s laboratory was 
an enchanted land, and he usually entered 
smiling and happy. On this occasion, his 
face unmistakably showed sorrow. 

“What’s the matter?” inquired Tom. 
“I hope you haven’t received bad news about 
your mother and your little brother Enrico. 
Are they well?” 


213 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“Yes, Signor Tomasso,” responded Gug- 
lielmo. ‘ 6 They are both well, thank you. But 
you are right when you think that something 
very bad has happened to Guglielmo,” and then 
something seemed to rise in the lad’s throat 
that he tried to swallow to keep it from chok- 
ing him, and he said: “I will tell you. No,” 
he said, when he noticed that Ralph and Rick 
were about to go to another part of the room ; 
“don’t go, please. I wish you signori also 
to hear. 

“Guglielmo,” he continued, “has been sav- 
ing up all the money he can, and had got, oh, 
so much ! As much as one hundred dollars, ’ ’ 
he said, opening his eyes unusually wide, as 
if to express surprise at the great sum he 
had been able to amass. “Yesterday I took 
this money to the telegraph office, intending 
to buy a money-order at the post-office and 
send it in a letter to mother. I told you some 
time ago,” he said, addressing Tom es- 
pecially, “that I had already sent nearly 
enough money to mother to enable her to 
come with my brother Enrico to America. 
This one hundred dollars would have been 
enough.” 

“Well, then,” said Tom, “why not 
send it?” 


214 


AS DETECTIVES 


“The money has been stolen,” Guglielmo 
replied. “Some bad people have taken it 
from my pocket. My mother and brother can- 
not come to America until I can save one 
hundred dollars again, and that will be longer 
than Guglielmo wishes to wait . 9 ’ 

“Have you any idea who the thieves are!” 
inquired Tom. 

“Signor,” said Guglielmo, an angry flush 
coming over his face, “I am not sure, but I 
believe it was Jim, Jam, and Job.” 

“What makes you think so!” Ralph asked. 

“Since yesterday these boys have been 
spending money. They have been buying 
many things to eat. Each has a new penknife 
and necktie. They tell me they have been 
going to the moving picture shows, and last 
night they took a boat ride on the Delaware.” 

“It is very probable that Guglielmo is 
right,” exclaimed Tom, in an angry tone. 
“It was a contemptible thing to do — to take 
the money the little fellow has been saving 
from the same pay they are receiving.” 

“We agree with you, Tom,” said his chums. 
“Cannot Sherlock Holmes discover whether 
or not these fellows are the thieves!” 

“I think I might,” said Tom, “if you will 
help me.” 


215 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“Dr. Watson No. 1 is always ready to help 
his friend Sherlock Holmes,” said Rick. 

“And so is Dr. Watson No. 2,” added 
Ralph. 

“All right,” said Tom, and then, turning to 
Guglielmo, he said: “Would you like to catch 
these boys and punish them, Guglielmo ?” 

“Oh, Signor Tomasso,” he replied, “I 
would like to see them put in prison for what 
they have done.” 

“Have you a dollar bill about you, Rick?” 
inquired Tom. 

“Dollar bills,” laughed Rick, “have a way 
of rapidly disappearing, especially since we 
have been building the wireless apparatus. 
But I believe I have one left, ’ 9 he said, look- 
ing in his pockets. “Yes; here it is,” he 
said, handing it to Tom. 

“Have you a spare dollar bill, Ralph?” 
asked Tom. 

“I’m surprised at your asking that ques- 
tion, Tom,” replied Ralph, “when you saw 
me yesterday invest the enormous sum of two 
dollars in stamps. But I have one left. Here 
it is.” 

“As for myself,” said Tom, “I have just 
one left. Are you willing to risk these bills 
with me?” he added, addressing his chums. 

216 


AS DETECTIVES 


“We may never see them again — although 
I hope we will.’ ’ 

They both assured Tom that he could do 
what he chose with the bills. 

“ Thank you, boys,” he said. “I’ll do my 
best;” and then, handing the bills to Rick, 
he went on: “You are more clever with the 
pen than Ralph or I, Rick. Take these notes 
and mark them so that you will be able 
readily to recognize them, should you see 
them again.” 

“That’s easy,” replied Rick; and, taking 
a fine-pointed pen, he wrote his initials in 
very small letters where it would be difficult 
to find them unless he knew what part to ex- 
amine, and, moreover, examined it carefully. 

“Now,” said Tom, “Ralph and I will ex- 
amine these markings so that, if necessary, 
we can swear as to the notes themselves.” 

Guglielmo watched the proceedings eagerly, 
and when the notes had been marked and ex- 
amined, he said : 

“Verra good, Signor Tomasso, I believe 
you catch those fellows, and then say to 
policeman, ‘Take them to prison.’ ” 

Tom handed Guglielmo the money, saying : 

“Go back to the telegraph office and be 
sure that Jim, Jam, and Job see these notes 
217 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


in yonr hands. As soon as yon miss them, 
bring us word .’ 9 

1 ‘What have yon to say to that, Sergeant ?” 
inquired the Lieutenant that afternoon when 
Tom and his chums called on him and 
informed him that they had seen the book 
man enter the house into which on a former 
occasion they had seen the skeleton man go ; 
and that shortly afterwards they had seen 
the red-headed man enter the same house. 

“It’s a good piece of work,” said the Ser- 
geant. ‘ ‘ V ery neatly and very quickly done. ’ ’ 

“But, Tom,” inquired the Lieutenant 
anxiously, ‘ ‘ do you think you were able to do 
this without the men you were spotting see- 
ing you ? 9 9 

“I’m almost sure of it,” was the reply. 

“Of course you understand,” said the 
Lieutenant, “that in dealing with men like 
these, you run no little risk. If the red- 
headed man was so angry when he learned 
the part you had taken in the arrest of his 
pals a year ago, that he was willing to take 
the risk of sending the infernal machine to 
your laboratory, he would probably not hesi- 
tate to do much more if he thought you were 
on his trail.” 


218 


AS DETECTIVES 


“How would you like to Have the skeleton 
man run out, pick you up, and carry you a 
prisoner into his house, Tom?” inquired 
Rick, laughing. 

“How would you like to request the red- 
headed man to pose for a new photograph, 
Rick, gently suggesting that he hold the par- 
cel so that you could get a better picture of 
it?” was the reply. 

“This is a more serious matter than you 
seem to think, hoys,” interrupted the Lieu- 
tenant gravely. “You were taking a great 
risk in endeavoring to spot them. I am sure 
they would do all they could to punish you.” 

“I do not think that we ran any risk in 
watching that house, Lieutenant,” Tom 
assured him. 

“Did you pass on immediately when you 
saw the red-headed man enter?” 

“We did,” was the reply; “but we re- 
turned to a place directly opposite, where 
we remained for nearly a quarter of an 
hour.” 

“Then,” said the Lieutenant, “they are 
sure to have spotted you.” 

“I think not,” said Tom. “Let me tell 
you the clever trick Ralph played.” 

If anything could be inferred from the 

219 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


duration or the loudness of the Lieutenant’s 
chuckling as to the pleasure he derived from 
what Ralph told him about the postage 
stamps, then his delight was marked. 

“ Splendid, my lads!*’ he cried. “You 
could not have done better if you had been 
training for years to be detectivesi” 

The Lieutenant then remained silent for 
several minutes. At last he turned to the 
boys and said : 

“My lads, I have made up my mind to 
treat you just as I would the Sergeant there, 
or any of my most trusted men. Of course 
you understand that what I tell you must not 
be breathed elsewhere. I intend to let you 
know what I have been doing, the clues I 
have obtained, and especially where my clues 
are weak.” 

He then went on to say that while their 
information was of value, nothing had been 
discovered directly connecting the men 
with the burglary. 

“Of course,” he said, “it is likely that these 
rascals have some knowledge of the crime, if, 
indeed, they did not actually take part in 
it. I will now tell you the little I have learned 
from a careful examination of the premises. 

“From a study of the foot-prints, there 
is no doubt that there were only two men 
220 


AS DETECTIVES 


in this burglary,’ ’ he continued. “ There is 
also no doubt that the entrance was effected 
by obtaining a key to the kitchen door.” 

“How do you know that, sir?” inquired 
Rick. 

“There are no marks of jimmies on doors 
or windows. Moreover,” he said, “I ex- 
amined the keyhole of the kitchen door, and 
took out from it quite a lot of wax.” 

“Do you mind letting me see that wax, 
Lieutenant?” requested Rick. “It would be 
interesting,” he added, “if instead of its 
being like ordinary wax, it had a peculiar 
green color.” 

“Why do you say that, my lad?” asked 
the Lieutenant, so excited that he thought- 
lessly raised his voice above the low tone 
he usually employed. 

“Because,” said Rick, taking from his 
pocket the cake of wax he had picked up in 
the laboratory after it had been shaken out 
of the pocket of the book man, “if it looks 
like this, it may give us a clue to the man 
who obtained the key from an impression 
he made of the keyhole of the kitchen door.” 

“It is exactly the same kind,” said the 
Lieutenant, as he and the Sergeant eagerly 
compared the pieces he had taken from the 
keyhole and the cake Rick had given him. 

221 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“Tell me,” he inquired, anxiously, “where 
and how did you get this!” 

When Rick related how and where he had 
gotten it, the Lieutenant exclaimed: 

“It’s a splendid clue, Sergeant! With it 
we ought to be able to run these fellows 
down. I have explained the matter to head- 
quarters, and they have agreed to leave 
Reddy’s case in my hands. I will at once 
take steps to have the man shadowed. I 
will not have him arrested on this evidence 
alone, as I believe additional evidence can 
now be readily obtained. My lads,” he 
added, “you have handled this matter splen- 
didly. I will not ask you to take any further 
risks just now.” 

As the boys were about leaving, the Lieu- 
tenant turned to Tom and remarked: 

“Make an examination of the keyhole of 
your laboratory, Tom, and if you find any 
green wax in it, let me know.” 

“Do you think, sir,” inquired Tom, “that 
the book man would care to make another 
visit to the laboratory!” 

“I think it quite probable,” was the reply. 
“He was not able to see what he wished 
to. He may, therefore, take the risk of mak- 
ing a night call some time soon.” 


AS DETECTIVES 


XVIII 

THE BURGLARY AT TOM’S 
LABORATORY 

After the identity of Tom and his chums 
had been made known to Reddy and his 
companions, as the boys were leaving the 
store where Ralph had purchased his stamps, 
Skinny Joe went back into his house, while 
Reddy, Ben, and Sam walked rapidly to- 
wards Ben’s place. 

Before the others left him, Skinny Joe 
had questioned Reddy about the photo- 
graph, Ben about the baseball incident, and 
Sam about the way he had been met by the 
lads at the laboratory. He, therefore, had 
good reasons for the remark he made as 
they were leaving his house. 

“Ef ye take my advice, gents,” he warned 
them, “ye’ll ware them kids. There’s more 
in them than there is in most full grown men. 
Ef ye hev them on yer heels, ye ’d better look 
out. ’ ’ 

And then without waiting for remarks by 
them he went into his house. 

It was at Skinny Joe’s house that the 
counterfeit half-dollars were made. The 
223 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


apparatus required for the purpose was 
placed in a sub-cellar at the back of the 
premises, where no light could be seen, when 
they worked at night, and where an approach 
from the outside was difficult. Moreover, 
Joe, who was an old hand at the business, 
had arranged a trap-door leading to an ex- 
cavation in the floor of the sub-cellar, in 
which he could hide everything should occa- 
sion demand. 

“I don’t like this,” complained Joe to 
himself. “Ef them fellers be ez bright ez 
they seem ter be, the half-dollar I guv thet 
little chap, and the handful of others I was 
fool enough to show him, is wery dangerous. 
I’ll hide my tools and shut up business fer 
awhile. I hev more of the stuff made then I 
ken git rid of anyhow ; ” so he hurriedly went 
inside, transferred his tools to the space be- 
low the trap-door, then went to an open 
window to sit down and think. 

Big-Eared Ben was also greatly disturbed. 
He feared something might occur to put the 
“ beaks” on his track, and even if this did 
not happen, he feared it might be discovered 
that he kept a fence for thieves. He was not 
so much worried about his liquor store or 

224 


AS DETECTIVES 


his pawnbroker’s shop, since these places 
were kept fairly within the requirements of 
the law, but he did fear lest the fact that 
he kept a * ‘ fence’ ’ for thieves might become 
known. 

1 ‘ What are ye skeered about, Ben?” in- 
quired Sam. “Thar sure kain’t be much 
danger in the young lads takin’ a look at 
ye.” 

“It ain’t so much thet, Sam,” replied Ben. 
“Ef the lads had gone past my place and 
seed me as any lads might, I wouldn’t worry, 
but fer them fellers to spot me when they 
was pertending to play ball is what I don’t 
like. I ask ye, as a bright man, would ye 
like it ef ye were me?” 

“From what I hev seed of the lads,” said 
Sam, “I think ye hev reason to be skeered.” 

But it was Beddy, much the brightest of 
the coterie of rogues, who was the best able 
to see the danger that menaced them. 

“I am certain,” he declared, “that the 
smaller of the two lads had his camera 
pointed directly at a tree on the pavement. 
He was about to snap the picture, so he 
must have focussed the camera. As bad luck 
would have it, I came in front of the tree 
just as I heard the click showing that the 
15 225 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


picture had been taken. The chances are 
that my picture is on that plate. 

“Now,” he continued, “if the boys are as 
bright as you all say they are, that picture 
is a grave danger. ’ 9 

“What is there about yer picture that wor- 
ries ye so, Red?” questioned Ben. 

“I carried under my arm that infernal 
machine, done up in a package. If the lad 
got my photograph, he also got a photograph 
of the package. Do you suppose that when 
three such bright lads examined the package, 
they failed to recognize it as the one they 
saw me carrying?” 

“You can make up your mind that they 
would recognize it,” said Sam. “I reckon 
there’s wery little they don’t take notice of.” 

“Then, Sam,” asserted Red, “I under- 
stand now why the bomb did not explode. I 
don’t doubt but that by this time the police 
already have both the bomb and the photo- 
graph, and are looking for a red-headed 
man.” 

Reddy was more scared than he had been 
for many a year. 

“I wouldn’t like to have to leave Phila- 
delphia now,” he said, “as I’ve other plants 
I want to attend to. But I must first de- 
226 


AS DETECTIVES 


termine whether I’d better lay low for two 
or three weeks, or get out of the city at 
once.” Then after a pause, he turned to 
Sam, and asked: “Did you notice whether 
there was any dark room for developing 
photographs, in that laboratory ?” 

“Yes, I saw one,” was the reply. “The 
door wuz open, and I could see enough ter 
know thet it wuz used considerable. I saw 
many glass plates wot looked ez ef they hed 
already been took.” 

“I wonder,” ruminated Reddy, rather to 
himself than to Sam, “if they were good for 
anything. ’ ’ 

“I kain’t tell ye thet, Red,” said Sam, 
“but I’ll gamble on this: If the little chap 
they called Rick took ’em, ye kin make up 
yer mind they’re good.” 

Again Reddy was silent, this time much 
longer than before. He finally broke the 
silence with the following question : 

“Do ye think there would be much risk in 
cracking that place, Sam? I’ll go with ye 
and help if you wish it.” 

“Not much danger. And I don’t think I’d 
need your help. If I do, I’ll let you know.” 

“Get me the information I want, Sam, and 
I’ll give you twenty plunks.” 

227 


♦ 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 

“I don’t want any pay, Red,” said Sam. 
“But, rather than hurt yer feelin’s I’ll take 
the twenty ef ye insist on it.” 

“I don’t see why the Lieutenant thinks 
some of those fellows would take the risk 
of breaking into the laboratory, Tom,” said 
Ralph. ‘ ‘ That would be burglary, and would 
be punishable just as much as if they broke 
into a place where they could get something 
valuable. ’ ’ 

“And is there nothing valuable in the lab- 
oratory, Ralph?” inquired Tom, as if sur- 
prised at Ralph’s question. 

“It is full of valuable things, my dear 
fellow,” replied Ralph, “but they are more 
valuable to us than they would be to an 
ignorant fellow like the book man.” 

“The man might be looking not so much 
for what he could steal as for what he could 
see,” said Rick. 

“So you believe he is no longer in doubt 
about the failure of the infernal machine?” 
queried Tom. 

“I may be wrong,” was the reply, “but 
I think that what is worrying those fellows 
is whether or not the photograph I obtained 
when the camera was pointed at the tree 
228 


# 

AS DETECTIVES 

and took in the red-headed man was good. 
I remember seeing the book man look into 
our dark room several times. The door was 
open, so he must have seen the racks with 
the many glass negatives. I don’t think he 
had any idea of photographs in his mind 
then, or he would have spoken about them. 
But if the red-headed man fears this ex- 
posure might have been a good one, and 
wants to know whether I took a good photo- 
graph, he may persuade the book man to use 
his green wax on your laboratory door and 
pay us a visit some night. Don’t you think 
I’m right?” 

“Dr. Watson No. 1 is a worthy aid to 
Sherlock Holmes,” said Tom. “Now you 
put it the way you do, Rick, it seems almost 
certain to be true.” 

July is a season during which thunder- 
storms are common at night. On visiting 
the laboratory early one morning, Tom said 
to himself : 

“If those fellows want to get a wax im- 
pression of the keyhole, they probably tried 
it last night.” 

Opening the door against one of the walls 
of the laboratory, so that he could examine 
the keyhole without being seen from the 

229 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


street, Tom commenced poking at it with a 
piece of wire. 

“What are you doing, Tom?” said Rick, 
who shortly afterwards entered the room in 
company with Ralph. 

“Fishing,” Tom replied. 

“Caught anything?” inquired Rick. 

“Not yet,” wa& the answer. “Wait a 
moment,” Tom added. “I’m wrong. I’ve 
just had a bite.” And then a few seconds 
afterwards he held up the wire, on which 
was a fairly good sized piece of green wax. 

“It’s the same green colored wax,” said 
Rick, examining it. 

“I wonder how the fellow came to have 
so much green wax, Rick,” inquired Ralph. 
“He dropped a good sized cake in the 
laboratory. ’ ’ 

“I spoke to the Lieutenant about that,” 
returned Rick. “He said that this is a very 
excellent kind of wax that is employed in 
the making of artificial flowers and leaves, 
and that it can be bought in the stores in 
the same shaped pieces as that we found on 
the floor. I suppose the man finds it handy 
to carry a few pieces in his pockets.” 

On informing the Lieutenant what had 
occurred and showing him the particles of 

230 


AS DETECTIVES 


wax Tom had taken out of the keyhole, both 
he and his assistant, the Sergeant, agreed 
that Tom would probably soon have a visit 
at his laboratory. 

4 ‘It’s moonlight now,” said the Lieu- 
tenant, “so you need not look for the man 
except during a stormy night.” 

On talking the matter over, the Lieutenant 
told Tom that he would have the laboratory 
watched by some of his men. 

“Would it not be better to take a photo- 
graph of the fellow as he is in the act of 
examining or taking anything in the lab- 
oratory?” 

“Can you do that?” inquired the Lieu- 
tenant. 

“I think I can,” was the reply. 

“Then I’ll leave the matter with you,” 
said the Lieutenant. 

“I don’t see how you’re going to do it, 
Tom,” said Ralph, as, after leaving the Lieu- 
tenant, they hurriedly retraced their steps 
to the laboratory. 

“I think I do, Ralph,” said Rick, laugh- 
ing. “It’s by a selenium cell, a hidden 
camera, and a magnesium flashlight — isn’t 
it, Tom?” 


231 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“You have correctly named the com- 
bination/ J 

“Tell me all about it,” said Ralph. 

“I can explain it better,” replied Tom, 
“while you and Rick are helping me make 
the apparatus.” 

While they were at work, Tom explained 
to Ralph the construction of a peculiar 
electric device known as a selenium cell, by 
which electricity is produced when more 
light fallsj on one of its faces than on the 
opposite face. 

The selenium cell Tom constructed con- 
sisted of two parallel plates of platinized 
silver, separated from each other by a space 
in which melted selenium was poured. When 
properly prepared, this cell produces elec- 
tricity when one of its faces is lighted while 
the other is in the dark. 

“We’ll place this cell where the light of 
the dark lantern the man will of course 
bring, will fall on it,” said Tom. “This will 
produce an electric current that will operate 
a relay and permit a local battery to operate 
an electro-magnet, ignite a magnesium 
flash powder and work the shutter of our 
camera. We will hide the camera, but will 
232 


AS DETECTIVES 


point it so that it will take the picture of 
the fellow who is holding the dark lantern.” 

“Won’t it be difficult to know where to 
focus the camera!” inquired Kalph. 

“Yes,” replied Tom, “but not so difficult 
as you might think, if I leave all the photo- 
graphic negatives that I think the fellow will 
examine in the proper position.” 

When they visited the laboratory the morn- 
ing following the next severe storm, Tom 
announced to his companions that the 
burglar had been there. 

i ‘ See, ’ ’ he said, ‘ ‘ the flashlight powder has 
been fired. But let us see,” he added, 
going with them into the dark room, 
“whether we have any picture on the photo- 
graphic plate.” 

When the plate was developed it showed an 
excellent picture of the book man, examining 
one of the negatives. 

It is needless to say that the Lieutenant 
was prouder than ever of his assistant 
detectives when, as soon as a silver print 
had been taken from the negative, the boys 
carried it to the police officer’s headquarters 
and showed it to him and his assistant. 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


XIX 

ANOTHER WIRELESS TELEGRAPHIC 
STATION 

In order to pick up the threads of our 
story, we must now go back to the evening 
of the night when Light-Fingered Sam com- 
mitted the burglary at Tom’s laboratory, 
and at the same time succeeded in taking 
an excellent photograph of himself in the 
very act of examining one of the glass 
negatives. 

In the second-story room of Ben’s crib, 
Reddy and Light-Fingered Sam were sitting 
by the table, drinking and talking. It will 
be remembered that Reddy had requested 
Sam to visit the laboratory and obtain cer- 
tain information for him concerning Rick. 

“If the little chap can take good photo- 
graphs, Sam,” said Reddy, “I’ll be in a 
bad fix. I know the beaks in both San Fran- 
cisco and Chicago have good pictures of me.” 

“Do you acterallv know it, Red, or hev ye 
only heard it?” inquired Sam. 

“I know it because I’ve seen the photo- 
graphs,” was the reply. “One of my pals 

234 


AS DETECTIVES 


actually had the cheek to steal an album 
from the house of one of the police officials 
in San Francisco. That album contained 
pictures of many men who were either 
wanted or were in prison. Among these was 
my photograph. It was marked ‘Wanted.’ 
The other side was marked in lead pencil: 

‘Wanted in San Francisco for ,’ ‘Wanted 

in Chicago for and then correct 

dates of the things I had done in each of 
these places, and what I was wanted for.” 

“Was it a good photograph, Red?” in- 
quired Sam. “Could yer pals have recog- 
nized yer?” 

“The authorities thought it good enough 
to send a copy of it to the Philadelphia beaks, 
who know I’m in the city,” replied Reddy. 
“Now, Sam, I’m satisfied the little chap 
had his camera focussed on me, and I heard 
the click as I passed, showing that an ex- 
posure had been made. If that hoy can 
take a good photograph, then I’m sure mine 
has been taken. If it has, it is probably 
now in the hands of the Philadelphia police, 
and I must get out of the city. I must know 
whether the lad can take good photographs 
or not. To find this out you must go to the 
laboratory some dark night and examine the 
glass negatives you saw in the dark room.” 

235 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“I promised to go, Red,” said Sam, “and 
I’ll keep my promise.” 

“Do yon want me to help yon?” 

“No; I’d rather do it alone.” 

“Well, here’s tuck!” said Reddy, empty- 
ing a glass of liquor before Sam left the 
room. 

A short time after Sam left, Ben came into 
the room and said : 

“Red, I want to show yon something.” 

“What is it, Ben?” 

“Something I’m sure ye’ll think it well 
worth lookin’ at.” 

“Tell me about it.” 

“A feller who rents a small house here 
hez asked me to look arter it. He hez left 
Philadelphy in a hurry.” 

“Did he leave on account of the beaks?” 
inquired Reddy. 

“Yes,” was the reply. 

“What is his lay?” inquired Reddy. 

“He hez one of them kind of telegraph 
stations wot he uses to talk wid other fellers 
without hevin wires atween them.” 

“Do you mean a wireless telegraphic sta- 
tion?” inquired Reddy. 

“Now ye use thet air word, Red,” replied 

236 


AS DETECTIVES 


Ben, “I remember thet’s what he called it.” 

“What was he doing with it, Ben?” 

“He was usin’ it to talk wid other fellers 
at the race-courses and gambling saloons, at 
some places I don’t know exactly the situa- 
tions of. He told me it war handy fer gettin’ 
early information.” 

“How long will he be away, Ben?” 

“From what he said, I reckon it’ll be two or 
three weeks, sence he told me he hed a job 
to do in the West, and that he was going 
there.” 

“Is the wireless apparatus in working 
order?” 

“I don’t know,” was the reply. “But ef 
ye come and look at it, ye kin see fer yerself. 
I suppose ye understand sech things,” he 
added. 

“Yes,” said Beddy; “I’m pretty well up 
on electricity. I can get the thing working 
again if nothing is missing and it is not in 
too bad order.” 

“Then come with me, and I’ll show it 
to ye.” 

“Is it far from here?” inquired Reddy. 

“It’s about half a mile from Skinny Joe’s 
place.” 

“I’ll go with ye,” said Red. “I don’t 
237 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


suppose there is any great risk in doing 
that.” 

‘ 4 This be the house, Red,” said Ben, as 
he unlocked the door of a small house sit- 
uated on a small side street about half a 
mile from Skinny Joe’s place. “Ez ye kin 
see,” he added, pointing to the great number 
of empty houses in the neighborhood, “a 
feller kin git in and out without the neighbors 
seeing much of him. I asked the man why so 
many houses were empty, and he said no one 
appeared to know to whom the houses rightly 
belonged. Different fellers claimed them, 
and had taken the case to court, where they 
war fightin’ it out. They hed been at it fer 
over a year, but didn’t seem to be gettin’ 
any nearer findin’ who they did belong to.” 

“ That’s all right, Ben,” said Reddy. “It 
makes a very good neighborhood for a man 
like me, who wishes to be quiet.” 

“I say, Red,” remarked Ben, “wouldn’t 
this be a pretty crib for ye to hev when ye 
got tired of stayin’ wid me, or ef ye thought 
at any time yer friends the beaks were 
hangin’ around my place too much? Ef 
ye like it, I kin giv ye a key, and ye kin 
make yerself at home.” 

238 


AS DETECTIVES 


“I like it very much, Ben,” replied Red. 
4 4 Get me a key made, then you can keep the 
one the man gave you, should he turn up at 
any time.” 

“I kin give ye a key now,” said Ben. “I 
hed another key made, thinkin’ ye might like 
to use it.” This Ben said with pride at his 
forethought. 

The storm that visited Philadelphia that 
night was all that Light-Fingered Sam could 
have wished for the work he had planned. 
A heavy rain, accompanied by a strong wind, 
deluged the streets, so that he was practically 
the only man abroad. 

“Jest the kind of night fer my work,” 
said Sam to himself, as he crept up the outer 
staircase and unlocked the door of Tom’s 
laboratory, hurriedly slipped into the room, 
and relocked the door from the inside. 
“These he slick fellers, and I must be keer- 
ful they hev not set up something to ketch 
me. I don’t wanter take any more shakin’s 
from electrical books like the one thet feller 
Tom made.” 

In order to determine whether any one 
was in the room watching, Sam waited for 
fully five minutes after entering. Not hear- 

239 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


ing anything he concluded, and, indeed, cor- 
rectly, that he was alone, and then commenced 
a careful examination, using for the purpose 
a dark lantern, though he was careful that 
none of its light could be seen from the 
outside. 

The examination convinced Sam that the 
lads who occupied the place were unusually 
bright. Although he was unable to under- 
stand the various kinds of physical and 
chemical apparatus, he could understand it 
well enough to know that its construction 
had required more than the usual brains that 
are allotted to boys. 

“ Unless I’m keerful,” said Sam to himself, 
“they’ll trick me agin. I reckon I’ve seed 
enough, and nowfer the little dark room where 
I saw the black glass plates wot bed pictures 
on them” — alluding to the photographic 
negatives he had seen through the open door. 

“It’s jest as I telled Red,” Sam muttered. 
“The little chap must hev took these, fer 
they sartinly look all right.” As he spoke, 
he turned to a negative that had been placed 
to one side of another lot of plates that 
Tom had so grouped that, if examined with 
a dark lantern, its light would practically 
be certain to fall on the selenium cell, and 
240 



HE LET THE LIGHT FROM THE LANTERN FALL FULL ON IT, AND IN 
SO DOING HE FELL INTO THE TRAP TOM HAD LAID FOR HIM 





















AS DETECTIVES 


thus fire the magnesium powder and operate 
the camera. 

‘ ‘ Hello ! ’ ’ said Sam. ‘ ‘ Here *s another lot. 
I’ll begin with this here one,’’ he went on, 
picking up a negative and examining it. 
There was evidently something about the 
negative that interested him, for he let the 
light from the lantern fall full on it, and in 
so doing he fell into the trap Tom had laid 
for him. There was a brilliant flash of light, 
and an explosion loud enough to prevent Sam 
from hearing the accompanying click as the 
hidden camera was uncovered and covered 
and an exposure made. 

Sam had let his mind so run on tricks that 
it never occurred to him that the light he 
saw was the flashlight of a magnesium 
powder. He rather thought it some new 
contrivance like the electrical book. How- 
ever, he had seen all he had wanted to see, 
and, hurriedly taking with him the negative 
that had so astonished him, he unlocked the 
door, went quietly but rapidly down the steps, 
and soon disappeared in the darkness. 

The scene again shifts to Tom’s lab- 
oratory. Tom and Rick are engaged in mak- 
ing extra silver prints of the photograph 

16 241 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


Sam had taken of himself. It was an ex- 
cellent picture, and would be sufficient to 
convict the man in court whenever the Lieu- 
tenant was ready to arrest him. This had 
not already been done, because the Lieu- 
tenant was gradually obtaining clues that he 
thought would eventually warrant his 
arresting both Reddy and Sam for the burg- 
lary of the house in the suburbs. 

“We ought to be able to finish this in 
an hour, Tom, and then we’ll take a walk 
in the Park,” Rick suggested. 

“All right,” said Tom. “Let’s hurry 
up.” 

While this work was going on, Parsons, 
Mr. Justice’s chauffeur, came into the lab- 
oratory and handed Rick a note from his 
mother. 

“Wait a moment,” said Rick, opening and 
reading the letter. “Have you the auto- 
mobile below?” 

“No, sir; I walked around here. Your 
mother and father are going for a ride be- 
fore dinner. Is there any answer?” 

“Tell mother I’ll attend to the matter and 
get what she wishes.” 

“What is it, Rick?” asked Tom. 

242 


AS DETECTIVES 


“ Something mother wishes me to attend 
to uptown. ’ ’ 

‘ 4 Wait and I’ll go with you,” said Tom. 

“I don’t see how you can go, while those 
photographs are being toned,” replied Rick. 
‘ 6 They need watching. I guess I’ll have to 
go alone. I cannot possibly be over three- 
quarters of an hour, and ought to be back 
in less.” 

“If you return in an hour for a walk, it 
will be all right,” said Tom. 

“I’ll hurry,” Rick told him as he left 
the laboratory, “so I think you can look 
for me in half an hour.” 

The matter to which Rick’s mother wished 
him to attend took him to a part of the city 
between Ben’s crib and the den where Skinny 
Joe had his coining-plant. It never for a mo- 
ment entered Rick’s head to suppose that there 
could be any danger in walking in full day- 
light through the streets of a big city like 
Philadelphia. Even supposing that some of 
the queer people with whom he had come into 
contact had discovered the manner in which 
he had so entered into their lives as to be 
a menace to their liberty, he did not sup- 
243 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


pose, for a moment, that they would attempt 
to carry him away in the open streets. 

But perhaps few people appreciate what 
risks the crooked people of the under-world 
are willing to run in order to protect their 
liberty. As will be remembered, Ben had 
recently left Reddy, who feared that at al- 
most any moment he might be obliged to 
sneak out of the city. Though an uneducated 
man, Ben was no fool. He recognized what 
might happen if the photograph Rick had 
taken of Red was good. As he expressed it: 

“Ef the picture wot the young lad took 
is good, then there’s a risk not only fer 
Reddy, but fer me.” 

Nor was Ben far from the truth ; for Red 
lived at the big-eared man’s place, and his 
arrest would probably bring the police to his 
den, in which case Ben would also run the 
risk of being apprehended. 

The more Ben thought of it, the angrier 
he became with the smaller of the two boys 
who had taken the picture. 

“Ef I can git my hands on thet young- 
ster,” he said, “I’ll teach him to let a feller 
like me alone.” 

It was with the feelings above expressed 
that Ben met Rick in the street at a time 

244 


AS DETECTIVES 


when it was not very crowded. The recogni- 
tion was instantaneous as each looked up and 
saw the other. 

“The big-eared man who was angry when 
we pretended to play ball near his place 
the other day,” thought Rick. 

“The little kid wot took the photograph,” 
thought Ben. 

Seeing that the man was about to lay 
hands on him, Rick took to his heels, but un- 
fortunately he tripped, and was seized by 
Ben, who cried in an angry voice: 

‘ ‘ Come with me, ye little divil ! Ef ye hev 
never been taught to leave decent people 
alone, I’ll teach ye now.” 

Recognizing his danger, Rick began to call 
for help. 

1 ‘ Stop yer yellin ’, ’ ’ commanded Ben. ‘ ‘ Ye 
won 9 t ? Then I ’ll make ye ; ” and, putting his 
hand over his mouth, lifted him in his arms. 

“Wot kin I do with the pesky warmit?” 
Ben asked himself. 1 ‘ I hev it, ’ ’ he continued, 
running down a quiet side street and entering 
the house containing the wireless telegraphic 
plant. Hei carried his prisoner to one of the 
upper rooms, which happened to be the one 
containing the wireless telegraphic ap- 
paratus. Hurriedly binding his hands and 

245 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


stopping his cries by tying a handkerchief 
over his month, Ben went and locked the 
door, but not before he had remarked to the 
lad: 

“I’ll send yer red-headed friend to ye. He 
hates ye wuss than I do, so ye kin consider 
ver self ez good ez dead, fer I believe he will 
kill ye quick.” 


AS DETECTIVES 


XX 

REDDY SEES HIS PHOTOGRAPH 

After burglarizing the laboratory, Sam 
proceeded at a rapid gait towards his house, 
not only because it was still raining, but es- 
pecially because he was anxious to get a bet- 
ter opportunity for examining the glass 
negative he had hurriedly thrust into his 
coat pocket when surprised by the ignition 
of the magnesium flash powder. 

“I didn’t get but half a look at the pict- 
ure,” he said to himself, ‘ ‘when I heerd 
the explosion and thought I’d better make 
myself scarce. What I did see makes me 
think it be a picture wot is wery bad fer 
Red.” 

It was evident that Sam did not realize 
that somehow or other he had ignited a flash 
powder and taken a photograph of himself. 
He had been thoroughly impressed with the 
belief that the boys into whose place he had 
broken were able to set various kinds of 
traps, and he had been looking for something 
resembling the powerful discharge of the 
book form of Leyden- jar battery. In fact, 
247 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


he believed the flash-light was merely a more 
powerful electric discharge of the same type 
as that he had already experienced. 

“I be lucky to get off alive. An electric 
discharge ez bright ez thet would probably 
hev killed me.” Therefore he hurriedly left 
the room. 

On reaching his house, Sam put on dry 
clothes, and stored away his pistol, crow- 
bars, and the other tools belonging to his 
trade. He was soon making a careful ex- 
amination of the negative. 

‘ ‘ I war not mistaken, ’ ’ he said to himself, 
as the result of this examination. “It’s a 
wery good picture of Red, and here’s the 
package under his arm. Ef this here picture 
gets into the hands of the beaks, Red will 
sartinly be done fer, ef they kin put their 
hands on him. I must show him this ez soon 
ez I kin.” 

But the storm continued for more than an 
hour, during which Sam remained in the 
house. 

“I ain’t goin’ to get wet by goin’ to Ben’s 
place now to find Red. An hour or two won’t 
make much difference. I reckon it’ll stop 
rainin’ afore long and then I kin go thar 
more comfortable.” 


248 


AS DETECTIVES 


During the storm that night, Eed had re- 
mained indoors at Ben’s, anxiously awaiting 
a report from Sam. Not hearing from him, 
he became anxious, so he ventured out and 
proceeded to Sam’s house. Finding no one 
in, he anxiously awaited his coming on the 
outside. He had been led to do this because 
the storm showed signs of being nearly over. 
When it began to increase in violence again, 
he said to himself : 

“I’ll go to Joe’s and have a chat with him. 
When the storm is over, I’ll come back.” 

Reddy reached Sam’s house again just 
as that person was leaving. 

“Come in, Red,” said Sam. “I war jest 
goin’ ter call on ye.” 

“Did ye crack the place, Sam?” inquired 
Red. 

Sam nodded his head. 

“Were you spotted?” 

“Not thet I knows on,” was the reply. 

“Have you any news?” inquired Red. 

“I hev,” was the reply. 

“Good or bad?” inquired Reddy. 

“I am sorry to say, Red,” replied Sam, 
“the news is wery had.” 

“First tell me all you saw in the room, 
and what happened to you while there. ’ ’ 

249 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“But the bad parts comes arterwards,” 
replied Sam. 

“Never mind that,” replied Red. “I can 
wait for the bad news. I want to know just 
what happened. Then I may be better able to 
understand how bad the news is.” 

“Wall,” said Sam, “I hed no trouble in 
gittin’ into the place, sence the key fitted all 
right. Ez soon ez I war sure there war no 
one watchin’, I got out my dark lantern and 
looked over the place.” 

“And what did ye see?” inquired Reddy. 

“Enough to know it warn’t safe fer a 
feller to hev them chaps agin him.” 

“Now tell me the most important part,” 
said Reddy. “How about the dark room? 
Was the door still open, and were the glass 
plates still where you could examine them?” 

“Everything war thar awaitin’ ter be ex- 
amined. Indeed,” he added, “ez I arter- 
wards found, things war so easy ter be looked 
at thet I might hev knowed thet the fellers 
hed set a trap fer me.” 

“Was there a trap?” inquired Reddy, 
anxiously. “Did you get caught in it? 
Hurry, man!” he exclaimed. “Don’t you 
see how anxious I am to know what 
happened?” 


250 


AS DETECTIVES 


‘ ‘ There war a trap, ’ ’ replied Sam. 4 4 Them 
fellers hed arranged the glass plates in two 
lots — one near the door, and the dther furder 
from it. I picked np some of the plates near 
the door, and found them well took. I seed at 
once thet ef the feller wot took the picture of 
you by the tree war the one thet took the 
pictures I war examinin', it war bad fer ye.” 

“ Hurry up about the others,” said Reddy. 
“I understand that you think these had been 
placed where you would not fail to see them. 
If this is SO 1 , it would seem the lads looked 
for a visit from you, and expected you to 
examine these photographs, and therefore set 
s ome trap. Am I right ? ’ * 

“Ye be right thar, Red,” said Sam. 
“When I picked up one of the plates on the 
right, afore I hed time to see anything on 
it except that I believe they war bad fer ye, 
there war an explosion — a wery bright 
light. I hed an experience with sech an ex- 
plosion when I handled the book on electricity 
by the feller named Tom. Jedging from the 
light I seed, thet wot I hed set off was more 
powerful than the thing that shook me so. 
I grabbed the picture and made my lucky 
from the room, reaching my house without 
being follered.” 


251 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


Reddy was very angry when he learned 
what had happened in the laboratory. 

“Idiot!” he exclaimed. “Haven’t you 
sense enough to see that you took a picture 
of yourself while in that room? That was 
no Ley den- jar battery you exploded, but a 
magnesium flashlight. If you have made up 
yer mind that these fellows know how to 
take photographs, you may be sure they have 
another picture in their collection, represent- 
ing you examining their property. If this 
picture gets into the beaks’ hands, it will be 
sufficient to convict you of burglary.” 

“You needn’t get so all fired mad about 
it, Red,” remarked Sam. “I’ve done the 
best I could fer ye and I hedn’t oughter look 
fer sech talk ez ye hev given me.” 

“Let me see the photograph,” demanded 
Reddy gruffly. 

“Here it is,” said Sam, handing him the 
plate. “I’ll leave ye to say whether it be 
well took or not.” 

A very brief examination was sufficient to 
convince Reddy. What he had in his hand 
was a most artistic photograph of himself, 
representing him standing before the tree 
that Rick had intended to take. 

“Be ye satisfied, Red?” inquired Sam. 

252 


AS DETECTIVES 


“It is so good a picture,” said Red, “that 
if, as I suppose, it is already in the hands 
of the Philadelphia police; I’ll have to leave 
here immediately. It ’s hard luck, since I had 
several excellent plants in Philadelphia and 
the nearby towns, at which I wanted your 
help and from which we could have made 
lots of money.’ ’ 

“It sartinly be hard luck, Red,” remarked 
Sam, “but, as I telled ye, I war convinced 
thet ef the young feller wot I war speakin’ 
to took the picture, it would be all right. He 
is sartinly good fer thet kind of work.” 

“He’s a good photographer all right,” was 
the reply ; “ as you will find if the picture you 
took of yourself ever comes into court.” 

“Ye needn’t rub thet in, Red,” protested 
Sam, “especially sence I hevn’t asked ye fer 
the twenty plunks ye said ye’d give me ef 
I did this trick.” 

“So thet’s what you’re arter, is it?” said 
Reddy, looking contemptuously at him. 
“Well, here’s your pay;” and, taking a roll 
of dirty bills from his pocket, he counted 
out four five dollar bills and handed them 
to Sam. 

“Wall, Red,” said Sam, “I warn’t askin’ 
fer em, but sence ye insist on it, I’ll take em.” 

253 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


As Reddy was leaving, Sam said : 

‘‘Here’s good lack, Red! I hope thet pict- 
ure will not give ye much trouble. Sence ye 
hev it, what harm kin it do ye?” 

“If you think these lads are so foolish as 
not to have already made several prints from 
the negative, you don’t know them,” replied 
Reddy. 

When Ben had left Rick bound and gagged 
in the room of the house containing 
the wireless apparatus, he hurried towards 
his crib. Reddy was not there, having, 
as already explained, gone to Sam’s 
house. Indeed, when Reddy left Sam, 
he was so worried about what he 
had heard that he again walked towards 
Joe’s, but then changed his mind and went 
at a fast rate to Ben’s. 

“What kep’ ye so late, Red?” asked Ben, 
when his friend finally arrived: “I hev been 
waitin’ fer ye a long time. Did you see Sam? 
Does he bring any news?” 

“Come upstairs,” said Reddy, “where we 
won’t be seen.” When they had reached the 
room on the second floor, he handed Ben the 
photograph Sam had given him, saying: 

“Look at that.” 


254 


AS DETECTIVES 


“It sartinly looks bad, Red,” said Ben. 
“Thet little chap hez done much agin ye. 
But I hev good news fer ye. How would 
ye like it ef I telled ye thet I hev the kid 
bound and gagged in the house whar thet 
wireless thing is placed!” 

“What would I say?” replied Red. “I’d 
say that it was great luck! I’ll go there 
with you at once. The devil has indeed 
stood my friend to place this kid in my 
power. I’ll pay the lad in full now for what 
he has done. I must leave the city, but be- 
fore I do I’ll put that youngster where he 
can never trouble any of us again.” 

“What do you mean?” inquired Ben. 

“I intend to kill him,” was the reply. 

Let us now return to Rick as he was left 
a captive in the room with the wireless ap- 
paratus. He endeavored to call for aid, but 
the gag prevented him from doing so. He 
next tried to loosen his hands. He knew 
that if Reddy had not hesitated to make an 
attack on Tom’s life by means of the in- 
fernal machine, he would not hesitate to 
have his revenge on him. He inferred too, 
from what Ben had said, that new evidence 
had reached Reddy of something he had 

255 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


recently done that threatened the red-headed 
man ’s freedom. 

“If I am here when they return, it will 
go hard with me,” he said to himself. 

It was a considerable time before he suc- 
ceeded in freeing his hands, when, of course, 
it was not difficult to remove the gag. Run- 
ning to the window, in order to call for aid, 
he found its heavy shutters closed, and the 
sash nailed in place. Like the door, it was 
impossible to break his way through. He 
had noticed the lonely character of the 
street, so he felt there was little chance of 
obtaining assistance from the outside. 

While endeavoring to free himself, Rick 
had not failed to notice the wireless tele- 
graphic outfit. He began to wonder whether 
it would not be possible to obtain help by 
calling Tom’s wireless station. 

An examination of the apparatus showed 
that it was in good working order, and it was 
not long before Rick had it working well 
enough to send Tom’s station or call letters, 
“T. A. R., T. A. B.,” the letters standing 
for “Thomas Alva Bronson.” 

Returning now to the laboratory, Tom 
hurried with the toning of the negatives, 

2*56 


AS DETECTIVES 


and succeeded in placing them in the washing 
tank before the end of the half-hour when 
Rick had promised to return. His chum not 
arriving then, he had time to look again at 
the photograph that had been left near the 
selenium cell. It was while he was doing 
this that he made a discovery that caused 
him great anxiety. Somehow or other, just 
how he could not understand, the photograph 
Rick had taken of Reddy was missing. 

“If the fellow who broke into this place 
the other night has shown the photograph 
to Reddy, and he should by any means come 
in contact with Rick, something dreadful 
might happen,” Tom thought. 

After anxiously waiting for a full hour 
after Rick had left, Tom went to a telephone 
pay station in the neighborhood and was 
soon in communication with the Lieutenant. 

“This is Tom,” he said. “Rick went on 
an errand for his mother in a part of the 
city between the house of the big-eared man 
and the skeleton, expecting to be back in a 
half-hour, and it is now more than an hour 
since he left. I want your help. Can you 
come? ” 

“Is there anything especial that makes you 
anxious, Tom?” inquired the Lieutenant. 

17 257 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“Yes,” was the reply; “the photograph 
of the red-headed man carrying the package 
was taken away last night by the man who 
paid me a visit.” 

“Pll come right away, with the Sergeant, 
Tom,” the Lieutenant told him. “Wait 
for me.” 


AS DETECTIVES 


XXI 

THE RESCUE OF RICK 

The Lieutenant evidently regarded the 
matter as of considerable importance, since he 
and the Sergeant reached the laboratory 
much sooner than Tom had thought possible. 

“You have not lost much time in coming, 
Lieutenant,” remarked Tom. 

“I have not, Tom,” he replied, “because 
I don’t like the continued absence of your 
chum. It was very unfortunate you per- 
mitted the photograph of Reddy to be in the 
pile with the others. How did you ever 
happen to do it?” 

“I don’t understand it at all,” said Tom. 
“I don’t think I left the photograph there, 
and it hardly seems possible that Rick could 
have done so. I see it worries you as it 
does me,” Tom added. 

“Of course it worries me,” was the reply. 
“The man who broke into the laboratory 
has taken this photograph, and by this time 
has probably shown it to Reddy. If your 
chum has fallen into the hands of that gang 
of crooks, I believe his life is in danger.” 

259 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“You surely don’t think the man would 
go so far as to murder Rick because he took 
his photograph?” asked Tom, in an anxious 
tone. 

“That’s just what I do think,” replied 
the Lieutenant. “If for something you had 
done to his pals more than a year ago the man 
was willing to take the risk of sending you 
an infernal machine, he would probably not 
hesitate to go much further to avenge him- 
self on one who has placed his own liberty, 
if not his life, in danger by this photograph. 
The man is educated and bright, and will see 
that the photograph shows the package con- 
taining the infernal machine. He knows 
that the package was delivered, that it did 
not explode, and that it has disappeared, 
and I doubt not that he has come to the 
conclusion that it, or a number of prints 
from it, are in the hands of the police. I 
believe the life of your friend is in great 
danger if he has fallen into their hands.” 

When the Lieutenant and the Sergeant 
had entered the laboratory, they had found 
Tom wearing the telephone headgear, with 
his hand on the key. 

Tom had not disengaged the head-tele- 
phones while the Lieutenant was speaking, 
260 


AS DETECTIVES 


and had only taken his hand off the key 
and rested it on the desk near it. 

The Lieutenant had scarcely finished 
speaking when Tom cried in surprise : 

“I can pick up some one calling T. A. B., 
T. A. B., the letters of my station.’ ’ 

“Who do you suppose it is, Tom?” in- 
quired the Lieutenant. 

“That is what is puzzling me,” replied 
Tom. “I don’t know who it can be. It is 
not Mr. Dodge, for I would recognize the 
way he sends; and it’s none of the other 
stations I sometimes talk with, since none 
of them can send as well as this.” After a 
moment, when the signals were evidently 
being continued, he exclaimed: “Why, Lieu- 
tenant, it is Rick ! I can distinctly recognize 
his call.” 

“But how can that be, Tom?” inquired 
the Lieutenant, equally astonished. “There 
is no wireless apparatus in the immediate 
neighborhood that he could use to call you, 
is there?” 

“None that I know of.” 

“Ask the person calling who he is,” said 
the Lieutenant. 

So Tom signalled : 

“Who is that calling me?” 

261 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


And then came the following astonishing 
message that Tom repeated for the benefit 
of the Lieutenant and the Sergeant. 

‘ ‘ I am Rick. I am in great danger. While 
out this morning, I unexpectedly ran up 
against the big-eared man, who grabbed me 
and carried me into a small and apparently 
unoccupied house. I noticed that the house 

is No. Street, somewhere between the 

places where the big-eared man and the thin 
man live. 

4 4 The big-eared man was very angry. He 
dragged me to a room, bound a handkerchief 
over my mouth to keep me from calling for 
aid, firmly secured my hands, and threw me 
on the floor, saying: 

“ ‘Make up your mind that your meddling 
with other people’s business is going to be 
stopped. I go to tell the red-headed man, 
whose photograph you took, so that he may 
come here and have his revenge on you. He 
is angrier with you than I am. If he kills 
you, I shall not be surprised . 9 

6 ‘ I have tried to get out of this house, but 
cannot. Get word to the Lieutenant, and 
come here with him as soon as you can, for 
I am in great danger.” 

Lieutenant Harkens on sat perfectly quiet 
262 


AS DETECTIVES 


while the message was being received, but, 
as could be seen, the news greatly disturbed 
him. 

“That sounds very bad, Tom! ,, he cried. 
“Sergeant,” he said, “tell the four men we 
brought with us to come to the bottom of the 
steps. Tom,” he added, “we must go at 
once to the place where the lad is a prisoner. 
I only hope we can get there in time. But 
before doing this we must get word to the 
lad ’s father, who, I suppose, will be at home, 
as this is near his dinner hour. ’ ’ 

As they were leaving the laboratory, they 
met Parsons, Mr. Justice’s chauffeur. 

“I’m glad to see you, Parsons,” said Tom. 
“Mr. Richard is in great danger. Take me 
and these gentlemen as quickly as pos- 
sible to Mr. Justice’s house. It is very im- 
portant that I should see him.” 

“Mr. Justice is not at home,” said Par- 
sons. “I took him and Mrs. Justice early 
this afternoon to Chestnut Hill. I called 
here at their request to let you know.” 

When the Lieutenant learned that they 
could have the use of an automobile to reach 
the house where Rick was a prisoner, he 
said: “Before we go, Tom, wire your friend 
that you are leaving the laboratory in an 

263 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


automobile with me and four other men. 
Tell him to do all he can to fool the fellow, 
so as to gain time. 

* ‘Take ns as rapidly as you can to this 
address,” said the Lieutenant to the 
chauffeur, giving him the street and house 
number mentioned by Rick in his message. 

The speed with which the automobile 
tore through the streets that lay between 
Tom’s laboratory and the house where Rick 
was held captive must have surprised 
people. But the eminent peril of the lad 
warranted it. The Lieutenant did not 
hesitate to break the city ordinances, just 
as they are frequently broken when a hurry 
call has been sent to a doctor or a surgeon, 
or by fire-alarms to conflagrations. 

Hearing footsteps mounting the stairs, 
Rick rapidly disarranged the wireless ap- 
paratus;. TJhis he did by altering the 
adjustment of the Ruhmkorff coil and the 
condenser, and disconnecting some of the 
cells, so the battery would not operate. He 
did this in the hope that it would fool the 
red-headed man by making it seem im- 
probable that any wireless messages had 
been sent. 


264 


AS DETECTIVES 


“Now I’ll make you pay dearly for all 
you have done to me and my mates, ’ ’ snarled 
Reddy, as he angrily approached the lad. 
“It was an unlucky day for you when you 
meddled with things you should have left 
alone. ’ ’ 

“What have I done?” inquired Rick, 
hoping to get into an argument with the 
man and thus gain time, for he knew that 
assistance could not be very far off. 

“Look at this, you miserable meddler!” 
cried Reddy, showing him the photographic 
negative of the man in front of the tree. 

“Well, what of that?” said Rick. “It’s 
a pretty good photograph, isn’t it?” 

Reddy did not think it necessary to 
answer this question except by a black look. 
Knowing that every minute might count, 
Rick again asked : 

“What’s the matter with the photograph 
anyhow ? ’ ’ 

“Don’t you recognize it as one you took?” 

“Of course, I do,” was the reply, “though 
I don’t think you should say that I took it. 
I never asked you to come in front of my 
camera when I was making a photograph of 
that beautiful tree on the street. You 
stepped suddenly in front of the camera, 

265 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


spoiling the picture just as I snapped it. 
It is a beautiful photograph of the tree. I 
had hoped to put it with my other photo- 
graphs of the same tree I had taken from 
different sides.” 

The lad had kept so cool that for a 
moment he fooled the man. 

“I wonder,” Reddy thought, “if I have 
been making too much fuss over this pict- 
ure.” But looking at it again, he saw too 
well that the man and not the tree was the 
prominent object in the photograph. There 
he stood as if in life, with his face clearly 
outlined, so that there would be no difficulty 
in recognizing him. He knew the police in 
San Francisco and Chicago had his photo- 
graph, and here was one that not only 
equalled, but even excelled it. Then, the 
tell-tale package held under his arm as if 
he was afraid of it formed a conspicuous 
part of the picture. 

“You’re a cool one,” the man said. “En- 
tirely too bright to live. See here,” he went 
on, “this is not a photograph of the tree, 
but of me. And look at this” — pointing to 
the parcel. “What do you suppose is in this 
parcel?” 

“If you don’t know, how should I?” said 
260 


AS DETECTIVES 


Rick. “What was it! Were yon carrying 
your dinner with you?’’ 

“He be the coolest chap I’ve ever seed,” 
remarked Ben, who had followed Reddy into 
the room. “But thet’s jest what he wuz 
when he and the other lads were nosin’ 
around my den, portending to play ball, but 
all the time tryin’ to spot the place. He’s 
too cool to let live. I reckon ye’d better do 
him up, Red. ’ ’ 

Reddy made no reply to Ben’s remark. 

“Have you been using this?” he said to 
Rick, pointing to the wireless apparatus. 

“Using that?” said Rick. “Don’t you 
know enough about electricity to see it won’t 
work. You don’t suppose it’s worth any- 
thing, do you?” 

‘ ‘ Then somebody must have been meddling 
with it,” replied Reddy. “I had it work- 
ing splendidly when I left the house the other 
day. Yow, young man,” he continued, “I 
do not intend wasting any more time with 
you. I’m going to kill you. I won’t shoot 
you, for that would make a noise, but I’ll 
just stick you with this” — pulling out a 
murderous dagger from a scabbard placed 
under his coat. 

“You’re surely not going to kill me with- 

267 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


out giving me five minutes for a prayer,” 
said Rick. 

‘ 4 What good will a prayer do you?” said 
Reddy. 

4 ‘Five minutes will not hurt you. I hope 
you are enough of a man not to kill a small 
boy before he can say a prayer. Two men 
like you are surely not afraid to give a small 
boy five minutes, are you? The last five 
minutes he will have on earth?” 

“Well, I ’ll give you five minutes,” said 
Reddy, weakening, “so make the most of 
the time” — pulling out his watch to mark 
the time. 

Rick had thoroughly determined, after 
gaining as much time as possible, to do what 
he could to protect himself. He knew the 
speed at which an automobile could run, 
and felt sure that both Tom and the Lieu- 
tenant would lose no time in putting in an 
appearance at the house. He used some of 
the time for which he had asked for a prayer, 
and employed the balance in thinking what 
he might do to protect himself. He knew 
he could do but little against two strong, 
determined men. He hoped, however, that 
what he might do would be enough to give 
his friends the chance of entering the house 
268 



RICK HURLED IT WITH THE SKILL THAT PRACTICE IN BASEBALL 

HAD GIVEN HIM 




i 









































* 










AS DETECTIVES 


before he was killed. Daring this time, 
Reddy had been holding his watch in his 
hand. When four and a half minutes had 
passed, he said: 

4 4 You have just one-half minute to live, 
youngster. ’ ’ 

Suddenly an automobile was heard coming 
rapidly up the street. It stopped at the 
house, and the next instant there was the 
cracking of the timbers of the front door, 
under the skilful application of a crow-bar in 
the hands of the Lieutenant. As the door 
burst open, footsteps were heard rushing up 
the stairs, and soon the door of the room was 
opened by the crow-bar of those who ran into 
the room. Tom was in the lead, the Lieu- 
tenant and his men following. 

4 4 So you have fooled me again !” said 
Reddy. 4 4 You have been using the wire- 
less apparatus, just as I thought. I’m done 
for, but I’ll have my revenge,” and, rushing 
at the lad, he made a stab at his breast im- 
mediately over the heart. 

As he approached, Rick seized one of the 
disconnected battery cells and hurled it with 
the skill that practice in baseball had given 
him, striking the man in the hand and caus- 
ing the blow to glance to the shoulder. The 

269 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


knife made a severe cut that bled profusely, 
but by this time Tom bad reached Reddy 
and caught him by the throat. In the mean- 
while Ben had been overpowered by the 
policemen, while the Lieutenant slipped the 
handcuffs on Reddy. 

“You know what I want you for,” said 
the Lieutenant to Reddy. 

“Yes,” said Reddy, scowling; “to send 
me to San Francisco or Chicago.” 

“But not,” said the Lieutenant, “until 
you are tried for attempted murder, 
for sending infernal machines, and for 
burglary.” 

Meanwhile Tom was doing what he could 
to stop the bleeding of Rick’s cut. 

“Don’t fret, my dear chum,” said Rick. 
“I don’t think the wound is dangerous. I 
need not tell you how glad I was when I 
heard the automobile stop, the door broken 
in, and footsteps rushing up the stairs. In 
a few moments it would have been too late.” 

“I will not take the prisoners to the sta- 
tion in the automobile,” said the Lieutenant. 
“I have sent one of my men to call a police 
patrol from the police-box at the corner. It 
will be here soon.” 


AS DETECTIVES 


XXII 

THE LOST CHUMMIES 

Since their meeting that day in Tom’s 
laboratory, little Jamie and Charlie had been 
almost inseparable. As their mothers fre- 
quently remarked, they were together even 
more than their big brothers were. This 
friendship pleased every one in both the 
Bronson and the Coffin families, although 
it was soon found, as Ralph had warned 
Tom, that Charlie possessed in a marked 
degree, that peculiarity known as wander- 
lust. 

Just why, we will not pretend to say, but 
there certainly seems to be a type of lad who 
naturally possesses a desire for wandering, 
that is most pronounced either near or at 
the beginning or completion of adolescence. 
It may be that this is merely due to a de- 
sire to see something new, or perhaps it 
arises frpm the necessity existing on the 
part of a rapidly growing boy in vigorous 
health to find some way in which to expend 
a part of his superfluous physical energy, a 
necessity that, so far as its usefulness is 
concerned, is not unlike the safety valve on 
271 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


a steam boiler, a device that, as soon as the 
rapidly increasing pressure on the boiler has 
passed a certain danger line, automatically 
opens and prevents an explosion. 

On a certain day, when the two lads had 
known each other for several weeks, Charlie 
said to Jamie: 

4 4 Let’s go to the dead men’s houses. I 
know where to find them. ’ 9 

“Do you mean,” inquired Jamie, “where 
the deaders go in the glass wagons with 
black feathers on the top?” 

“That’s what I mean,” said Charlie. “I 
know where to find their houses.” 

“Aren’t you afraid that the deaders will 
come out of their houses and hurt us?” asked 
Jamie. 

“I’m not afraid, ’ ’ was the reply. 4 4 When 
a person is only asleep he may wake up 
again, but when a fellow is once a deader 
he never wakes up. So you needn’t be 
afraid.” 

“Where do they put the deaders when 
they come to their houses, Charlie?” 

Charlie, who believed that he possessed 
considerable knowledge of this important 
subject, began explaining as follows: 

4 4 Deaders are always put in boxes lined 
272 


AS DETECTIVES 


with soft white stuff. They are dressed in 
their beautifulest clothes. When they reach 
their houses, they lower them down in holes 
in the ground, and shovel in the dirt, cover 
them up, and then go away and leave them. ’ ’ 

“Don’t they put anything over them so 
as to keep the dirt from spoiling their 
clothes?” Jamie wanted to know. 

“Yes; they always put a lid on the box.” 

“Do they put all deaders in holes in the 
ground?” inquired Jamie. 

“No,” replied Charlie; “sometimes they 
put them in the beautifulest white marble 
houses. I saw one of these houses one day. 
They generally lock the door, but this one 
had the door unlocked, so I could get in and 
see it. There was a little window in the 
house, and on each side was something that 
looked like the bureau in my bedroom, only 
they don’t pull the drawers out. They pull 
the fronts down and put the boxes on the 
shelves, and then shut them again.” 

“I’d like to see that, Charlie,” Jamie 
said. 

‘ ‘ Come with me, ’ ’ responded Charlie. “ I ’ll 
show you.” 

Generally, in our large cemeteries, there 
are offices at the entrances, where the su- 

18 273 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


perintendent and other caretakers are 
usually to be found. This is a great con- 
venience, especially to visitors, since it 
would be difficult for them to find the attend- 
ants if they had to look for them in the 
grounds. 

When the little fellows passed the office, 
it happened that there was no one there. 
They were therefore unchallenged, and soon 
passed out of sight of the entrance. 

“You follow me, Jamie,’ ’ said Charlie, 
“and I’ll show you the things we have been 
talking about.” 

When they had been in the cemetery for 
about half an hour, they saw a funeral pro- 
cession coming towards them. 

“Here comes a deader!” cried Charlie. 
“Let’s follow and see how they put him in 
a hole in the ground. We’ll pretend we 
belong to the funeral, and then nobody will 
say anything to us;” so they slipped Tn 
among the people that gathered around the 
open grave. 

WHien Jamie saw how deep the hole was, 
he whispered: 

“How do they get the deader down to the 
bottom of that hole, Charlie? Do they let 
him go down with a bang?” 

274 


AS DETECTIVES 


“No, Jamie. I saw them bury a deader 
once. See, they are going to do it now,” 
Charlie said, as the coffin was rested on two 
stout pieces of wood placed across the grave 
and two heavy straps were placed under it. 
Then the coffin was carefully lowered into the 
grave. 

There was something very distressing to 
Jamie, when having lowered the wooden lid 
to the box in which the coffin had been placed, 
and the burial services being completed, they 
commenced filling up the grave with the 
loose soil that had been piled around it when 
dug. 

“I wonder if the deaders like to be put 
in holes, Charlie,” he said. “It must be 
awfully damp. I don’t see how they get any 
air to breathe.” 

“Oh, they don’t care,” answered Charlie. 
“Deaders don’t have to breathe.” 

“But how can they get out when they’re 
tired staying there?” 

“A deader don’t get tired of staying there. 
He always stays there. He can’t come out.” 

“I didn’t know that,” said Jamie, not at 
all convinced. “I only asked.” 

Children notice far more than older people 
usually give them credit for. Jamie had 

275 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


evidently taken in much of the funeral 
services, for when he and Charlie were walk- 
ing away he said : 

“That man with the nightgown on don’t 
believe that deaders never come out of their 
graves. ’ ’ 

6 ‘ Why do you say that ? 9 9 inquired Charlie. 

“Don’t you remember that he said, ‘For 
we know that the dead shall rise again?’ 
Now, how can they rise with all that dirt 
on them?” 

“I don’t know,” confessed Charlie. “I 
asked a man once about it, and he said I 
was too young to understand such a thing; 
that I’d understand it when I got older.” 

We may say here that shortly after the 
boys returned home, Tom, to whom Jamie 
put the question, said to him and Charlie: 

“Come and sit here, and I’ll tell you.” 
He then told them in simple language what 
the Bible said about the Day of Judgment, 
when the trumpet shall sound and all the 
dead both great and small shall come out 
of their graves and stand before the throne 
of God to be judged. 

“I am glad to know that, Tom,” said 
Jamie. 

“And so am I,” chimed in Charlie. 

276 


AS DETECTIVES 


We will now return to the cemetery, where 
the little boys were still wandering around. 

“Now, Charlie, you have shown me where 
the deaders are put down in holes,” said 
J amie. 6 ‘ I want to see one of the white marble 
houses you say they are sometimes put in.” 

“All right,” replied Charlie, leading his 
companion to a white marble sepulchre, or 
vault, which consisted of four walls of beauti- 
ful white marble with a marble roof, and was 
closed by a brass door. The niches for the 
reception of the coffins were arranged on 
either side of the room, and a window was 
placed opposite the door. For some reason, 
the vault had never been occupied. Even 
the door had been left unlocked. 

“Come in, Jamie,” said Charlie, shutting 
the door. “Ain’t this a pretty place? You 
see, it is all lighted up. ’ ’ 

“But where are the deaders, Charlie?” 
asked Jamie. 

“They put them in the bureau drawers,” 
was the reply. “These things,” he added, 
pointing to handles, “are pulled down. 
I’d rather be buried in a nice marble house 
than in a hole in the ground, wouldn’t you?” 

“I suppose so, but I think I’d rather not 
be buried at all. I like it better outside.” 

277 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


They sat inside the marble house talking 
for some time, when Jamie said: 

“ Let’s go and see something else.” 

On leaving the place, they saw a number 
of other marble houses, on some of which, 
after the name of the parties to whom the 
sepulchre belonged, were the words ‘ 4 Family 
Vault.” 

“What does that mean, Charlie?” in- 
quired Jamie, spelling out the word “Vault.” 
“I thought a vault was where they put pop 
beer bottles and things. Do you suppose they 
call this a family vault because when the 
people in the family become deaders they 
bring them here and put them in the bureau 
drawers?” 

“I suppose that’s what it means,” was 
the reply. 

While wandering in the cemetery, Jamie 
remarked : 

“Charlie, a boy once told me that I’d bet- 
ter never go near the graveyard at night. 
He said the deaders come out and march 
around the place and dance on the graves. 
Do you believe that?” 

“Of course I don’t,” was the reply. 
“Didn’t I tell you a deader is always a 
278 


AS DETECTIVES 


deader. Besides, how could they come out 
of the grave with all the soil resting on 
them ? ” 

“That’s what I thought,” replied Jamie; 
“but mightn’t they come out of the marble 
houses?” 

“No,” was the reply; “they couldn’t do 
that. The undertaker always puts big screws 
in the coffin lid. I saw him once when I went 
to a funeral.” 

“Where are you going next, Charlie?” 
said Jamie. 

“I’m going to show you the house in a 
rock — another kind of a place where they 
put deader s.” 

“Can you get inside?” Inquired Jamie. 

“No,” was the reply; “I don’t think the 
door is ever opened. It’s shut for good. 
They never intend to open it again.” 

“Then that deader will always be by him- 
self, Charlie?” said Jamie. 

“I guess so,” was the reply, “but I don’t 
believe he cares.” 

It will interest my readers to know that 
the place the little fellows were talking about 
was the very beautiful grave of the noted 
Arctic explorer, Dr. Elisha Kent Kane. 

279 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


Here, in the nearly vertical face of a massive 
rock, an excavation had been made for a 
sepulchre, and the body had been placed in 
a chamber that subsequently had been per- 
manently walled up. 

The youngsters had been wandering since 
about an hour after breakfast, and it was 
now late in the afternoon. 

“ Let’s go home, ,, said Charlie. “I’m 
hungry. ’ ’ 

“So am I,” was the reply. “Let’s go 
and get dinner.” 

As they were passing through one of the 
entrances, a good-natured man said: 

“Good morning, boys. Have you been 
taking a walk?” 

“Yes, we’ve had a nice walk,” said 
Charlie. “You don’t mind us being in here, 
do you?” 

“Oh, no! Going home now?” 

“Yes; we’re going home. We’re hungry, 
and we’re going to dinner.” 

“Why,” said the man good-naturedly, 
“it’s after three o’clock. You’ll not find 
any dinner at home. Wait a moment, and 
I’ll bring you something to eat.” 

In a few moments, he returned with two 
280 


AS DETECTIVES 


sandwiches made of thick slices of bread and 
butter, with meat between, and some cakes 
and apples. 

“Now,” he said, “go and sit under that 
tree and eat these. When you get through, 
come and say good-by, and I’ll start you in 
the right direction for home.” 

When the youngsters got through eating, 
they returned and met their new friend at 
the entrance. 

“Are you sure you know the way homer’ 
asked the man. 

‘ ‘ I know it, ’ ’ said Charlie. “We just walk 
along this wall until we come to Strawberry 
Mansion, then cross the street and follow 
the car track home.” 

“But there are so many car- tracks there, 
I’m afraid you’ll get lost.” 

“I’ll not get lost,” said Charlie. “I’ll 
cross the car tracks on this street, and take 
the tracks near the ice-cream saloon and then 
I’ll find my way home.” 

The disappearance of the two little lads was 
so common an occurrence in the Bronson 
and the Coffin families, that, provided they 
turned up at meal-times, little was thought 
281 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


of it. Of course if their places were not 
occupied then, they were worried until they 
put in an appearance. On this particular 
day there was consternation in the two 
families when even after two o’clock in the 
afternoon neither of the little fellows had 
returned. Word was sent to Tom, who was 
in his laboratory with Rick and Ralph, to 
look for the little fellows. 

“The kiddies are lost again, Ralph,” said 
Tom. 1 ‘ They have been missing since shortly 
after breakfast.” 

“Let’s go look for them,” said Ralph. 
“Charlie’s a great wanderer, and often gets 
far from home, hut he generally manages to 
turn up all right. He’s pretty level-headed 
for a youngster.” 

“Have you any idea where to look for 
them?” inquired Tom. 

“I am not certain,” said Ralph, “but I 
heard Charlie talking a good deal about 
the ‘deaders’ in the cemetery to-day at the 
breakfast table, so I shouldn’t be surprised 
if we will find them at some cemetery.” 

“You’re surely not going to ride this 
short distance, Ralph?” said Rick, as the 
lad made a motion for a car to stop. 

282 


AS DETECTIVES 


44 I think we’d better,” was the reply. 
4 4 There are three entrances to the nearest 
cemetery. If the lads came here, they prob- 
ably entered at the southern end. We will go 
at once to the north entrance and walk south 
through the cemetery, in the hope of meeting 
them. ’ ’ 

At the lodge they inquired if there had 
been anything seen of two small boys. 

4 4 Yes,” said the attendant. 4 4 Two little 
fellows passed out here between three and 
four o’clock this afternoon.” 

4 4 Describe their appearance, please,” said 
Ralph. 

When the man had done so, and had told 
about the lunch he had given them, Tom 
laughed and said: 

4 4 Those are the boys. Let’s get back. 
We’ll find them at the house.” 

44 I agree with you,” said Ralph. 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


XXIII 

IN THE CEMETERY AT MIDNIGHT 

Tom and his chums confidently expected 
to see the little fellows on their way home. 
When inquiry at the Bronson and Coffin 
homes disclosed the fact that they had not re- 
turned, the anxiety in both families in- 
creased, especially when five o’clock came 
and nothing was heard of the wanderers. 

“Do you think there can be any doubt, 
Ralph,” enquired Tom, “that it was Charlie 
and Jamie to whom the gentleman at the 
entrance gave some lunch?” 

“I’m sure it was the boys,” replied Ralph. 
“Why, he even told us the color of the ribbon 
on their straw hats — blue in Jamie’s and 
red in Charlie’s.” 

“But if they started,” objected Tom, “they 
should be here now.” 

“You don’t know what an energetic little 
fellow Charlie is, Tom,” said Ralph. “They 
may have gone back to the cemetery and 
got in again without being seen.” 

“Especially,” said Rick, “since they had 
something to eat and were rested.” 

284 


AS DETECTIVES 


4 ‘ Then, ’ ’ suggested Tom, ‘ ‘ let’s go back and 
see if we can get on their track again. I’ll 
tell my people,” he continued, “that if I 
learn of their having been seen in the 
cemetery again, I shall remain looking for 
them, even if I have to spend the entire 
night there. You and Ralph had better do 
the same thing, Rick,” he added. 

Again boarding a car, the boys were soon 
at the northern entrance to the cemetery. 

“Back again?” said the gentleman, a Mr. 
Conrad, who had met them before at the 
entrance. “I suppose the little fellows 
reached home all right?” 

“No,” said Tom. “They have not as yet 
put in an appearance. We have come to see 
whether you have seen them again. ’ ’ 

“I am sorry to say we have not,” was the 
reply. 

“Who are you talking about?” inquired 
one of the gardeners. “Do you mean the 
two little chaps about five years old with 
straw hats on with blue and red ribbons in 
them to whom you gave something to eat 
about half-past three this afternoon?” 

“Those are the boys. Have you seen 
them?” inquired Ralph. 

285 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“I saw them late this afternoon, walking 
through the grounds towards the south/ ’ 
answered the gardener. 

“Did they look tired f” asked Tom. 

“Not a bit of it,” said the gardener, laugh- 
ing. “They were trudging as if they didn’t 
know what it meant to be tired.” 

“Won’t you telephone the other entrances 
and ask them to keep a watch, and if they 
see two little fellows, either send them home 
or hold them until we come?” 

“We certainly will,” was the reply. 

“Tom,” said Rick, “I think they have con- 
cluded that it would be more interesting to 
walk home through the cemetery than along 
the wall. I think we shall find they have 
either left at the southern entrance or we 
shall meet them on their way there.” 

Now they knew positively the boys were 
in the cemetery, and were probably on their 
way home, Tom and his chums lost much 
of their worry. 

“This is a wonderful cemetery, Tom,” 
said Rick. “I’ve often spent hours in look- 
ing at the tombstones. There are many very 
notable people buried here,” he added. 
“For example,” pointing to a grave 
286 


AS DETECTIVES 


near the entrance, “here is the grave 
of Thomas Godfrey, the inventor of the mari- 
ner’s quadrant. As you see,” he said, as 
they stopped for a moment before it, “he 
was born in 1704 and died in 1749. There is 
a long inscription on the broken tombstone 
but it is# so defaced that it is almost im- 
possible to read. Suppose we come here 
some day and endeavor to decipher it.” 

‘ ‘ I think, Rick, ’ ’ remarked Tom, ‘ 1 the ceme- 
tery people have a nearly complete copy of 
the inscription made some time ago when 
the stone was less broken than now.” 

They passed at a moderately rapid gait 
towards the south, keeping a lookout for the 
youngsters. While doing this, they saw 
many things of interest. Without attempting 
to place these in regular order, we may 
briefly allude to a few that would probably 
be of interest to the general reader. 

“What a beautiful cedar tree, Tom!” ex- 
claimed Ralph. “Quite unlike any of our 
cedars, is it not?” 

“I can tell you about that tree,” declared 
Rick. “It is known as the Cedar of Lebanon. 
It must have been brought here by some one 
from the Holy Land.” 

287 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“That may be,” said Ralph, “but, judging 
from its healthy look, it has found our 
climate here well suited for its growth . 9 1 

“There’s a burial service going on ahead 
of us,” remarked Tom. “Shall we go to 
one side?” 

“I shouldn’t,” remarked Ralph. “It is 
just among such a crowd that we are likely 
to find my brother. He likes to look at such 
things. ’ ’ 

This reasoning appeared to be good, so 
they passed quietly on. The number of the 
people at the grave was not very great, and 
they could see that the lads were not there. 

“I say, Tom,” exclaimed Ralph, who read on 
one of the tombstones by the open grave the 
name of the lot-holder, “these people are 
neighbors of mine. You may care to know 
that the one they are burying died of a very 
obscure brain disease. His case attracted 
considerable attention. It was attended by 
many doctors, who did their best to persuade 
his people to permit a post-mortem examina- 
tion to be made, but they were unwilling.” 

“I should think they would be afraid to 
leave the body here, unless some one was 
left to watch it,” said Tom. “This is a 
lonely place, not far from the river drive, 
288 


AS DETECTIVES 


so that if an attempt was made to steal the 
body, they might easily make off with it.” 

4 ‘I don’t believe that body-snatching is 
common in this place,” said Rick. 4 4 The 
authorities are so wide-awake, I don’t believe 
there has been any stealing of bodies for 
many years, if, indeed, at any time.” 

4 4 Talking of body-snatching,” said Ralph, 
“let me tell you of something that I under- 
stood was done in this cemetery, to 
make the robbing of a grave practically 
impossible.” 

4 4 Let’s hear the story,” requested Tom. 

44 A certain man had such a horror of his 
body being stolen, and finally hung up as 
a skeleton in a museum, that he gave in- 
structions that I understand were literally 
followed,” Ralph said. 44 A large plot in his 
burial lot was filled with concrete reinforced 
with steel bars run through the mass. The 
coffin containing his body was placed in the 
middle of this and covered with additional 
concrete, so that it is now buried in the 
centre of a huge mass of stone, so hard that 
to remove it would require several days’ 
blasting.” 

4 4 That fellow ought to be pretty safe,” 
remarked Tom. 


19 


289 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


‘ 1 1 don ’t know, ’ ’ said Rick. i 6 T remember 
reading of a lady who determined that her 
grave should never be disturbed, so she 
had it cut in the solid rock, and ordered 
that the coffin be walled in with immense 
slabs of rock cemented in place.” 

“Well, wasn’t her body safer’ inquired 
Tom. 

“Not a bit of it,” was the reply. “It 
chanced that the seed of a big tree fell in 
a crack in the rock. The seed sprouted, 
sent down roots into the fissure, and grew 
until it became a mighty tree, the strength 
of whose roots was such that it completely 
split open and laid bare the coffin that the 
woman was so desirous of forever being 
concealed. ’ ’ 

“I’m thirsty, Tom,” said Ralph. “I 
wonder if the water here is safe to drink!” 

“If the water comes through city pipes,” 
was the reply, “it is of course quite safe. 
But I would not advise you to drink from any 
pump or from any spring in the neighbor- 
hood. As the dead bodies decay poisonous 
liquids must drain into the soil. ’ ’ 

“I guess I’ll wait until I get home,” was 
the reply. 

In this way the boys made their way 
rapidly through the cemetery. 

290 


AS DETECTIVES 


“We are approaching the central en- 
trance,’ ’ said Tom. “Let’s go and ask if 
the boys have been seen, and from there we 
can ’phone the other entrances.” 

But no word had been received, so they 
proceeded rapidly towards the southern 
entrance. 

The three boys did not proceed in a 
straight line, for as it grew later they be- 
came more and more anxious, so they sep- 
arated, coming together, however, at fre- 
quent intervals. 

It was now near sunset and they were 
tired. As they were passing a monument, 
made by the celebrated sculptor Henry 
Donochowsky Saunders, Rick said: 

“Here is something worth looking at,” 
pointing to a beautiful sculpture of a woman 
nursing two children. “It was made by the 
sculptor himself and represents his wife, who 
died shortly after the birth of twins. As 
you can see,” he said, “the man, who died 
at a later date, was buried here in 1857. 
Here,” he said, pointing to a seat alongside 
the tomb, “is one of the best views of the 
river and the drive below. It is very 
291 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


beautiful but of course we cannot stop and 
look at it now.” 

4 4 No,” said Tom, “let us hurry and get 
to the southern entrance.” 

“We have seen nothing of the boys, and 
no word has been received at the other 
gates,” said the people at the southern 
entrance. 

“There is nothing to be done, then,” 
said Tom, “but to go back again. Do you 
think the boys could have left the cemetery 
by way of the Park drive?” 

“ It is improbable, ’ ’ said the man, ‘ ‘ the walls 
are so high. Since they have not passed 
out through the entrances, you may be sure 
they are still in the grounds.” 

“If I can get Lieutenant Harkenson on 
the ’phone,” said Tom, “I will ask him to 
meet me here, say in an hour or so.” 

Tom then sought a telephone and called 
up Lieutenant Harkenson. 

“Is that you, Lieutenant?” cried Tom. 
“I’m glad I caught you. I was afraid there 
would be little chance this late at night.” 

“Iam generally not around at this time,” 
said the Lieutenant. “What can I do for 
you?” 

On hearing Tom’s story as to the dis- 

292 


AS DETECTIVES 


appearance of the two little lads, the Lieu- 
tenant said : 

“I’ll come and give you what help I can, 
Tom. Wait a moment,” he added. Befurn- 
ing shortly afterwards to the ’phone, he 
remarked: “The Sergeant insists on coming 
with me, and so do some of our men who are 
off duty. You must know, Tom, that our 
men think very highly of you boys as detec- 
tives. Now, listen: there are three of you, 
and you must thoroughly beat up all the 
ground between the southern and the middle 
entrance. We will come to the middle en- 
trance and wait for you there. I think it 
probable that you will find the youngsters 
asleep somewhere.” 

“How is that, Ealphf” inquired Tom, as 
he rejoined his friends. “The Lieutenant 
suggests that we look in places where the 
boys could sleep. He will meet us at the 
middle entrance.” 

The Lieutenant, the Sergeant, and four 
officers were awaiting the boys at the place 
specified. 

Since they were now nine, they could, by 
dividing, make a thorough search of the 
grounds. Although not raining, the night 
was cloudy and consequently very dark. 

“This would be the time to attempt to 

293 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


rob the grave we passed this afternoon, in 
which they buried the man who died of the 
obscure brain trouble.’ ’ 

“Tell me about it, boys,” said the Lieu- 
tenant, at once interested. “It would be a 
likely night. Don ’t you think so, Sergeant ? ’ ’ 

The Sergeant touched his chief on the 
arm, and, pointing to the grave where the 
burial had taken place that afternoon, he 
muttered . 

“Dark lantern!” 

From occasional flashes of light that came 
from the grave, they could see that two men 
were busily engaged in digging. 

“We must nab those fellows,” said the 
Lieutenant, motioning to the men with him 
to surround the grave. 

But the men had evidently heard their 
footsteps ; for, stopping their work, they ran 
to the wall near the drive, where by means 
of a ladder, they hastily scaled the wall, 
then getting into an automobile, whirled 
rapidly out of sight. 

“We must send word to the Lodge of this 
attempted robbery,” said the Lieutenant. 

Itwaswearisome and anxious work for Tom 
and his friends as they continued to search 

294 


AS DETECTIVES 


the grounds until past midnight. Tom was 
wondering if it were possible that the lads 
had succeeded in climbing the wall and 
fallen into the river; but his companions 
succeeded in convincing him that this was 
very improbable, if not, indeed, impossible. 

But let us return to the youngsters and 
their second walk through the cemetery. It 
was after five o’clock. They had been walk- 
ing for several hours and were getting tired. 

“Charlie,” said Jamie, “can you find the 
nice white marble house we went into this 
morning where the deaders are placed in 
the bureau drawers? I’m tired. I think I’d 
like to take a nap.” 

“So should I,” replied Charlie. “Yes, I 
know where it is;” and, leading the way, 
they soon came again to the place, where 
they entered, lay down, and went to sleep. 

It was long after midnight when the young- 
sters awoke. 

“I don’t want to sleep any more, Charlie,” 
said Jamie. “Let’s go home. I want to 
see Mother and ask her to give me some- 
thing to eat.” 

“All right, Jamie,” said Charlie; “I want 
to go home, too.” 


295 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


When they opened the door of the place, 
they found it so dark they could hardly see 
about them. i 

‘ 6 Don’t be frightened, Jamie,” said 
Charlie. 

“Oh, I ain’t frightened,” said Jamie. 

“Because why?” 

* ‘ Because I know my big brother Tom will 
come and find me here and take me home 
to Mother. That’s what he did when the 
two wicked Italians ran away with me and 
hid me in their house.” 

“Hello, brother Tom!” cried Jamie, when 
they emerged from the sepulchre. “I knew 
you’d come.” 

‘ 1 Hello, Ralph ! ’ ’ said Charlie. ‘ ‘ I ’ve had a 
long enough walk. I’m ready to go home.” 

Naturally, both Tom and Ralph picked up 
the little fellows to carry them. 

“Wait a moment, Tom,” said Jamie. 
“ Put this beautiful silver spoon in your 
pocket. I’m taking it home to Mother.” 

“Hello!” exclaimed the Lieutenant, to 
whom the words appeared to mean a great 
deal. 

“ And, Ralph,” said Charlie, “put this 
silver napkin ring in your pocket. I’m 
taking it home to Mother.” 

296 


AS DETECTIVES 


An eager examination of the two articles 
convinced the Lieutenant and his assistants 
that they were part of the long lost silver- 
ware that had been carried away by the burg- 
lars from the house in the suburb of 
Philadelphia. 

“Where did you get these things, my 
lads?” inquired the Lieutenant. 

“We took them from the bureau drawer 
of the house in which we slept,” they re- 
plied, to the intense astonishment of the Lieu- 
tenant and his companions. 

“From the bureau drawer in the house 
in which you slept! Where is that house?” 

“Right there,” said Charlie, pointing to 
the marble vault. 

“Oh, I understand,” said the Lieutenant 
to the Sergeant. “The youngsters have 
been sleeping in one of the vaults. The 
bureau drawers they refer to are evidently 
the niches in which the coffins are placed.” 

“Come on, I’ll show you where it was,” 
said Charlie. 4 ‘ There is a whole load of other 
things there — forks, spoons, and salt cellars. 
All silver.” 

“This is certainly the most wonderful 
luck,” said the Lieutenant. “It is the silver- 
ware for which we have been looking, and 
297 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


which,” he added, “if we can catch the 
fellows, as I believe we can, will be worth 
five thousand dollars to us. 

“It seems to be all here,” said the Lieu- 
tenant, after examining it. “I think I hear 
the footsteps of the men I sent towards the 
north. I’ll call them;” and he blew a 
whistle that produced a shrill, though not 
very loud sound, and the men were soon 
with him. 

“Since Reddy’s pal who helped him in 
the burglary will probably have heard by 
this that he has been run in, I think 
the chances are that he will come here to 
take this stuff away. I think, Tom, I’ll re- 
main with my men and watch. Stay here, 
Sergeant,” he continued, “with the men, but 
hide where you can’t be seen. I will walk 
to the gate with the lads. I’ll return as 
soon as I’ve seen the boys out.” 

“Rick,” said Tom, “I see your people 
have sent an automobile. I will ’phone your 
house that the boys have been found and 
are coming back with us. I hope you will 
be able to catch that fellow, Lieutenant,” 
he continued, when bidding him good-night. 


AS DETECTIVES 


XXIV 

GUGLIELMO AND THE HOLY 
TERRORS 

The Holy Terrors had been so unsuccess- 
ful in getting even with the Jolly Philos- 
ophers, that for some time after the few 
things they had already done they prac- 
tically let the boys alone. When, however, 
they learned that little Guglielmo was given 
permission to visit the laboratory, they re- 
sented what seemed to them to be gross 
favoritism. 

“Pd like ter know what them fellers see 
in that little cove, thet they let him come 
ter der place and wouldn’t let us,” said Jim. 

“Do ye know whether he goes there often, 
Job?” inquired Jam. 

“Ef what he told me is true,” said Job, 
“he’s there two or three times every week.” 

“Do ye know what he does when he gits 
there?” inquired Jim. 

“They’re makin’ one of them machines 
wot they kin use fer talkin’ with a feller 
without any wires between, ’em. I think it’s 
called a wireless thing,” said Jam. 

299 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“Yer don’t mean to say that Guglielmo 
kin understand thet, do ye?” asked Jim. 

“It seems so,” replied Job. “He sez he 
kin send and receive a message with it.” 

“Boys,” said Jim, one day, when they 
met in the cave in Fairmount Park, “T hev 
thought how we kin git even with them J oily 
Philosopher fellers by doin’ somethin’ to 
hurt Guglielmo.” 

“That’s the talk, Jim,” said Jam. - “Let’s 
hear what yer thinkin’ of.” 

“I know thet the little feller saves his 
cash to send it to his mother in Italy,” said 
Jim, “so she kin come with Guglielmo ’s kid 
brother to live in America. He must have a 
lot of cash on hand now, fer I know he hez 
not sent a money order from the post office 
fer some time. Ef we watch him and swipe 
the cash he has laid by, then we kin do two 
things: we kin make the Jolly Philosopher 
fellers feel bad acause the chap lost his 
money, and we kin hev a good time wid the 
money we git.” 

“Will it be an even divide, Jim?” said Job. 

Jim claimed that since he had thought of 
the plan, he should receive half, but Jam and 
Job objected so strongly to this that it was 

300 


AS DETECTIVES 

finally agreed that the division should he 
equal. 

As we have already learned, the theft was 
successful. The poor little fellow lost all 
the money he had so carefully saved. As 
Guglielmo had informed Tom, the Holy 
Terrors were supplied with an abundance of 
cash, some of which they spent for eatables, 
pocket kaives, moving picture entertain- 
ments, and a boat ride on the Delaware. It 
was the extra money they had not yet ex- 
pended that, as we shall see, led to their 
undoing and finally landed them in prison. 

When Guglielmo permitted Jim, Jam, and 
Job to see the marked bills Tom had placed 
in his hands, they were not promptly stolen, 
as Tom had thought they would be. It was 
not until a few days afterwards that the 
theft was accomplished. Guglielmo’s will- 
ingness to let them know he had the money 
made them suspicious. 

“We won’t swipe them hills now,” said 
Jim. “I reckon thet this is a plant them 
fellers hev put up agin us.” 

“I know a place, Jim,” said Job, one day, 
when they had met in the cave in the Park, 
301 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


‘ ‘where I kin buy five silver half-dollars for 
one dollar greenback.” 

“It must be queer stuff,” said Jim. 

“What’s the difference,” inquired Jam, 
“if ye have no trouble in passing it! Tell 
us all about it, Job.” 

“I’ve hed no trouble in passing it,” said 
Job. “See here,” he added, showing them 
some of the counterfeit silver half-dollars, 
“ye kin git five of these silver halves fer 
every greenback bill.” 

As a result of this information, the three 
messenger boys visited Skinny Joe’s place, 
although, of course, they were not permitted 
to get further into the house than the room 
nearest the door. 

Job was greatly impressed with the char- 
acter of the business that the skeleton man 
was engaged in. 

“Yours is a good business, mister,” re- 
marked Job. “I’d like mighty well to larn 
it. Ef ye will show me how it is done, I 
won’t charge ye anything fer my work.” 

“What makes ye think thet I’m in thet kind 
of business?” inquired Joe, by no means will- 
ing to put himself in the hands of the lad. 

“I reckon I can see a thing when it’s right 

302 


AS DETECTIVES 


afore my eyes,” said Job. “But,” he went 
on, “let’s talk about it some other time. 
Give mie another dollar’s worth of silver 
halves,” he said, handing Joe one of the 
marked dollar-bills they had at last stolen 
from Guglielmo. 

Job made up his mind that he would take 
the risk of actually surprising Joe at his 
counterfeiting work, so one day when he 
came with another dollar bill, and found the 
room near the front door empty, he quietly 
made his way to the apartment where Joe 
was at work. We will not enter into a de- 
scription of the process, except that it was 
a simple one, employing an excellent set of 
dies and forcing the alloys into shape. It 
was probably by long continuance at work 
of this character that Joe had acquired his 
great strength. Just now he was employing 
a lever operated by a wheel he was turning 
in order to obtain the necessary pressure. 
He had made a large batch of silver halves, 
and had commenced coating them with an 
electrical deposit of pure silver, when, turn- 
ing around, he saw Job watching him. 

Springing at the lad with an oath, he 
exclaimed : 


303 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“I reckon ye don’t kere much fer livin’, 
sence of course ez yeve larned my secrets, I 
intend to kill you!” 

“Say, mister,” said Job, “I wouldn’t do 
thet, because I bev friends up in the tele- 
graph office thet know I came here, and ef I 
shouldn’t be seen agin they would call on ye 
fer sure. But what makes ye so afraid? I 
ain’t goin’ to blab your secret to other 
people. Besides, I’m in yer power, fer I 
acknowledge I swiped the money I brought 
here to change into silver half-dollars.” 

Joe hesitated, but finally concluded that 
he would take Job into a limited confidence, 
intending to insure his silence by having a 
charge brought against him for theft, and 
in the meanwhile going with his apparatus 
to another city. 

“It’s gettin’ rather hot around here any- 
how,” he said to himself. 

“Do you know where I can find a chap 
named Job, my little man?” said Skinny Joe 
to Guglielmo, when, dressed in his best 
clothes, he visited the telegraph office. 

“Oh, you mean No. — ,” said Guglielmo. 
“You’ll never find him here at this time. 
He is gone for a walk with two friends named 
Jim and Jam.” 


304 


AS DETECTIVES 


4 'Have you any idea where I kin find 
them?” inquired Joe. 

Guglielmo had correctly attributed the 
theft of the marked dollar-bills to the three 
Terrors. He had therefore watched them, 
and had been so successful that he knew the 
exact location of their cave in Fairmount 
Park. 

"I think I can tell you where you can 
find them,” he said to Joe. "But I don’t 
know why I should do so. ’ 9 

‘ * Then I ’ll tell you why you should, ’ ’ said 
Joe. "Do ye know this dollar-bill ? ” he 
said. 

"Yes,” said Guglielmo; "it was stolen 
from me by one of the boys you want to 
see. ’ ’ 

"Then put it in yer pocket, sence it’s yers. 
Job tells me he swiped it from you. Now, 
if you want to get even with them chaps, 
show me where they hev gone, and I’ll see 
thet they git run in.” 

"I’ll do it,” was the reply, and in this 
way Joe became acquainted with the loca- 
tion of the cave. 

Joe did not reach his. home that night until 
very late. When he did, he found that some 

20 305 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


one had stolen the dies he employed in the 
manufacture of the half-dollars. 

“It’s thet feller Job,” he said. “I’ll git 
even with him fer this.” 

Soon after, the three messenger boys met 
for a conference. 

“ I say, Jim,” said Job, “ what’s the use 
of our gettin’ only two dollars and a half in 
queer money fer every one dollar of our 
good? Why can’t we make the stuff 
ourselves?” 

“I’d like to,” said Jim, “but who would 
larn us how?” 

“I kin,” said Job. “See here, I sneaked 
into his house and saw the skeleton man 
making silver half-dollars.” He then fully 
explained how. “I hev swiped the most im- 
portant part of the thing he uses.” 

“But how kin ye git the wheel that ye 
say the man uses in makin’ the half-dollars?” 

“Oh, I reckon some of our people kin show 
us where to get one.” 


AS DETECTIVES 


XXV 

LIEUTENANT HARKENSON MAKES A 
ROUND-UP 

The cases Lieutenant Harken son had in 
hand in connection with the crooks that have 
entered into this story were now running 
rapidly to an end, so that this, the last 
chapter, will be very short. Nothing had 
occurred on the night when a watch was 
placed on the marble vault in the hope of 
capturing Light-Fingered Sam. But the 
Lieutenant was too wary a man not to take 
advantage of what seemed to him so promis- 
ing an opportunity for capturing the other 
burglar. He therefore kept up the watch 
on the place. 

As is common in such cases, Reddy and 
Big-Eared Ben had been delivered to the 
police authorities and their trial fixed for 
an early day. Harkenson had no difficulty 
in conversing with both prisoners. He had 
hoped to gain some information from Reddy 
respecting his companion in the burglary, 
307 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


but Reddy was too old a band to be caught 
in this way, and professed entire ignorance 
of this or any other crime. 

Nor did Lieutenant Harkenson fare any 
better with Big-Eared Ben. The latter, who 
had a long experience in criminal matters, 
professed to be ignorant of the old burglary 
he had committed so many years ago. 

“I hev heerd of thet feller,” said Ben, 
when the case was referred to. “He don’t 
look like me. He hed long hair and little 
ears.” 

The Lieutenant only smiled when he heard 
Ben’s statement. 

“I don’t care for that case, Ben,” he said. 
“The charge I’ll bring against you is aiding 
in an attempted murder. You were standing 
by when Reddy tried to kill the lad — I and 
others are witnesses to that. There is no 
doubt but that you’ll get a term to last you 
the rest of your life, even saying we cannot 
prove the old charge against you.” 

“ Ef ye want me to squeal against me pals, 
I won’t do it,” said Ben. 

“I’ll leave that to you, ’ ’ said the Lieutenant. 
“I’ll call again to-morrow. Maybe you will 
have changed your mind then.” 

Not long afterwards, Harkenson received 

308 


AS DETECTIVES 


a call from Tom Bronson, who was ac- 
companied by Guglielmo. 

“Lieutenant,” said Tom, “I have obtained 
important news through this little fellow 
and he then explained what Guglielmo had 
told him of the visit Skinny Joe had made 
him, how he had brought him the marked 
bill, and how Guglielmo had taken the man 
to the cave where the Holy Terrors met in 
Fairmount Park. 

The Lieutenant asked Guglielmo a number 
of questions, and then asked : 

“Do you think the skeleton man will go 
to the cave to-night ?” 

“I’m almost sure of it, sir,” said Gug- 
liehno. “I heard Jim, Jam, and Job laugh- 
ing at something they had done, and whisper- 
ing that now they would soon be able 
to make the counterfeit half-dollars them- 
selves. They spoke of the clever manner 
in which Job had stolen something from the 
skeleton man’s house and carried it to the 
cave.” 

“What was Job doing at the skeleton 
man’s house?” inquired the Lieutenant. 

“I’m not sure,” said Guglielmo, “but I 
think he was trying to learn what business 
the skeleton man carried on.” 

309 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“Have you any idea what this business 
is?” inquired the Lieutenant. “Is it mak- 
ing counterfeit money?” 

“I think so, sir,” was the reply. 

“This is important, Tom,” said the 
Lieutenant. “I’ll raid that place to-night, 
but will be careful not to do so before the 
skeleton man puts in an appearance. 

The members of the Society of the Holy 
Terrors had another meeting in their cave, 
which we are glad to say, was the last they 
ever held. Job was proudly exhibiting and 
explaining the use of the dies in the making 
of the silver half -dollar sand they were so inter- 
ested in listening to what he was saying that 
they failed to hear a stealthy footstep. Sud- 
denly Skinny Joe burst into the cave, and, 
easily overpowering the boys*, left them 
bound on the floor. 

“Thank you for getting these fellows ready 
for me,” said the Lieutenant, who ran into 
the cave with a half-dozen men ; for he knew 
of Joe’s great strength and how difficult it 
would be to capture him. Indeed, with all 
his force, it was not until after a long strug- 
gle that the handcuffs were slipped on Joe’s 
wrists, and he and the three boys, also hand- 
cuffed, were led to a police patrol that had 

310 


AS DETECTIVES 


been driven on the river road, facing the 
entrance to the cave. 

“I’ll leave these fellows with you, Ser- 
geant,” said the Lieutenant. “I have some- 
thing important to attend to further up the 
road.” 

“Before ye go, mister,” cried Job, “I’ll 
tell ye something about the skinny man. Ef 
ye want to know where the rest of the tools 
he uses in making the queer half-dollars kin 
be found, lift up the trap-door ye’ll find in 
the bottom of the cellar, and ye’ll find a hole 
where his tools are stored when he ain’t 
usin’ ’em.” 

“We will now go and see whether the 
place where the silverware was found has 
been visited by our other man,” said the 
Lieutenant to his men. “No, Tom,” he said, 
seeing that the chums were about to leave 
him; “come with us. You might as well see 
the end of the matter. I’ve an idea that 
we’ll catch the man who visited your lab- 
oratory and left the tell-tale cake of green 
wax on the floor.” 

The Lieutenant was right in his belief. 
Light-Fingered Sam had returned, and had 
been promptly arrested. 

311 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


i i This is what might be called a round-up , 9 ■ 
said the Lieutenant. “I have now accounted 
for all the people I have been trying to 
locate. Reddy and Big-Eared Ben were 
taken yesterday while trying to commit 
murder. Skinny Joe is now on his way to 
the lockup. The Society of the Holy Terrors 
has been completely broken up, and as to 
this fellow” — turning to Light-Fingered 
Sam — “ there will be no difficulty in proving 
that he was one of the men engaged in the 
burglary at the house on the outskirts of 
Philadelphia. And it is mainly due to you 
and your chums, Tom,” he added, ‘ ‘ that this 
round-up has been possible.” 

We must bring our story to a close, as it 
has already exceeded the limits generally 
assigned to a book of this character. 

The trials of the culprits came off shortly, 
and resulted in a life sentence for Reddy, 
and imprisonment for twenty years for 
Skinny Joe. The charge against Ben was 
for attempted murder, for the old burglary, 
and for passing counterfeit money. The 
charge against Sam was for two burglaries 
and for passing counterfeit money. Con- 
sidering the age of these culprits the sen- 
tences they received practically corresponded 

312 


AS DETECTIVES 


to imprisonment for life. As to the three 
Terrors, charges of theft, of passing counter- 
feit money, and of malicious mischief won 
for them imprisonment in a reformatory, 
where it was hoped that they could be 
thoroughly reformed. 

“Tom,” said the Lieutenant some time 
afterwards, “I have received a check for five 
thousand dollars from the parties to whom 
the silverware was returned. Now, what I 
want to know is, how is this money to be 
divided. I have spoken of the matter to your 
mother, to Mr. Coffin, and to Mr. Justice, who 
are all unwilling that their boys shall take 
any of it. What have you to say to that?” 

“For my part,” said Rick, “I am glad 
Father has reached this conclusion.” 

“And so am I,” added Tom. 

“And I too,” echoed Ralph. 

“But, boys,” said the Lieutenant, “I’m 
unwilling to take all this money. You lads 
handled these cases so well that although 
you are only ‘Boy Detectives,’ yet you have 
done better than any of my men could have. 
I want you, therefore, to take some of the 
reward, or at least to tell me what to do 
with it.” 


313 


THE BOY ELECTRICIANS 


“Tom,” said Rick, “how would it do to 
ask the Lieutenant to take one thousand 
dollars of this amount and give it to Gug- 
lielmo to send to Italy, for his mother and 
little brother?” 

“The idea is a splendid one, Rick,” said 
Tom, and Ralph also agreed. 









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